Everything You Need to Know as the Trail Blazers Transition to Summer

The Portland Trail Blazers have finished their 2022-23 season and are now looking towards the 2023 NBA Draft, trades, and free agency this summer. As the team makes the transition, we offer the Dave and Marlow Podcast, Episode 23. Marlow Ferguson, Jr. couldn’t make it for this round, but Dave Deckard covers everything you need to know about expectations, plans, and even some surprising insights on the season just wrapped.

Dave starts by putting a bow on Portland’s 5-20 tank job to close the year. One game in particular offered an important lesson as the team looks forward to big moves in June and July. Shaedon Sharpe’s ascendance also gets some time. What might the Blazers do with him and Anfernee Simons? What will they try and what options are likeliest to come to fruition?

Dave also runs down Portland’s statistical performance this year. Even accounting for the tank job, it’s still a pretty interesting look at the ways in which the Blazers have evolved...or failed to. There’s room in that discussion for various views on tanking as well. Yes, it made sense, but what else needs to be said about the disappointing season, in context?

We now know what the Blazers’ lottery odds will be at the May drawing. Dave covers those and talks about the likely roads forward depending on where the pick falls.

The salary cap situation for summer also gets a once-over. Where are the Blazers most likely to fall? What’s their minimum obligation without trades? Do they have any wiggle room? What range will they be comfortable in when the new season starts?

You get all this and more in this indispensable primer for the off-season.

You can subscribe to the podcast or download this episode here. Or just click play on the embed below!

Enjoy! And that’s to our producer, Kyle Gilmer, for getting the episode turned around quickly!