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Trail Blazers Sign G League Forward Justin Minaya

Minaya played four years at Providence and went undrafted in 2022, but has balled out in the G League and gets his shot in the NBA with the Portland Trail Blazers.

NBA: Summer League-Charlotte Hornets at Minnesota Timberwolves Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

The 2023 NBA season is over for the Portland Trail Blazers, but they are signing Justin Minaya of the G League’s Mexico City Capitanes to further assess young talent.

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski broke the news via Twitter earlier today:

Minaya, 24, ranks fourth in the G League with 2.1 steals per game and just cracks the top-10 in blocks with 1.4 rejections a night. Further, he scores 12.7 points on 48.7 percent shooting from the field and connects on three-pointers at a 33.9 percent clip.

The 6-7, 210-pound forward brings talent and defensive qualities to the Blazers. Portland’s defense as well as interior presence have been their two Achilles heels in 2023.

However, management has a hoard of talent at the forward positions — Nassir Little, Cam Reddish, Matisse Thybulle, Kevin Knox and Trendon Watford — and are yet to try and remedy a pressing issue at center.

Nonetheless, Minaya will bring his professional savvy to the big leagues in hopes of staying on the roster ahead of the 2023-24 campaign.