Portland Trail Blazers GM Joe Cronin spoke with the local media on Thursday night prior to the team's loss to the Detroit Pistons.
With the trade deadline having just passed, league rules prevented Cronin from speaking specifically about the team's deal to acquire Dalano Banton from the Boston Celtics in exchange for a heavily protected 2027 second round pick before the trade was official.
Instead, Cronin spoke at length on the Blazers' rebuild and why he decided not to make a move just for the sake of doing so.
The Blazers GM received multiple calls on Malcolm Brogdon, but ultimately decided that he didn't love any of the offers:
“We always want to be opportunistic and only just thorough in this market but get a great deal for what our options are and what's available. In any transaction, you're evaluating whether this is a good move for you or not. All the discussions we had this time around, we chose to pass on them.”
Cronin also spoke about the idea of letting the young Blazers roster jell for a while before looking to make a bigger swing:
“I would say we were looking more to acquire a guy than get off of a guy. But at the same time, I don't want to speed it up too much. I want to give these guys a chance to grow and develop. Not overly swing to chase a playoff spot that's unrealistic or a playoff spot that's going to get us thumped right away. I want to make sure this is a quality build that's very sustainable.”
Blazers fans may have been disappointed in the lack of a bigger move at the deadline but, ultimately, rebuilds take time and patience. Portland's main objective this season is to develop chemistry and get their young prospects meaningful reps. The team's activity, or lack thereof, at the deadline helps continue that process.