Blazers Pick Up Option on Dalano Banton

Blazers Pick Up Option on Dalano Banton

The Portland Trail Blazers picked up Dalano Banton’s option, as reported by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Banton was a trade deadline pickup by Portland, and he received plenty of minutes to show his game. Now he’ll have another season in Rip City, at a price of just over $2 million. After the 2024-25 season, he’ll be an unrestricted free agent.

Banton played 30 games down the stretch for the injury-plagued Blazers. With few offensive threats remaining active, Banton scored at will, creating a highlight reel along the way. He averaged 16.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 3.6 assists. He scored 31 points in a loss to the Atlanta Hawks.

This option pickup gives the Blazers a longer chance to see if Banton will grow into a rotation player, or if his late-season performance was simply a case of showing modern offensive skills in a pile of losses for a tanking team. At the price, it’s a reasonable gamble for the Blazers, and a great opportunity for Banton.