NBA Free Agency has finally ended for Devonte Graham. The guard who was under the wings of Gregg Popovich and played alongside Victor Wembanyama in the San Antonio Spurs system has now found a new home. It even looks like there is a common theme between the squads that he's jumping to, both of them are rebuilding. This might be why the Portland Trail Blazers with Chauncey Billups leading the charge got him.
Devonte Graham has signed a one-year deal with the Blazers, per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. Notably, he was traded by the Gregg Popovich and Victor Wembanyama-led Spurs to the Charlotte Hornets just a month prior to this move. Graham along with a second-round pick was sent to Lamelo Ball's squad. This 2025 pick was the one that the Spurs got the rights to from the New Orleans Pelicans. While they got the draft capital, Graham was then waived.
This effort by the Spurs was so that they could get Wembanyama some more help by opening up more cap space. This decision to move Graham did exactly that as they reached $26 million below the salary cap. However, the deal may have been at the expense of Graham because he became a free agent. After all, he was set to complete the final year of his four-year deal in the coming season. It was worth $2.85 million in guaranteed money and could have reached a valuation of $12.65 million.
Nonetheless, he will now be on a deal where he has to prove himself. Chauncey Billups is a great guard who can definitely help spike up his production alongside Anfernee Simons, Scoot Henderson, and Shaedon Sharpe. Graham already knows how to play with a rebuilding squad. So, it will just be a matter of mastering the playbook and staying healthy.
What are the Blazers going to get from Devonte Graham?
The main thing that they are receiving from this NBA Free Agency move is depth at the point guard position. As of the moment, only Scoot Henderson and Dalano Banton are running the one spot for the Blazers. Another is that they are getting a minutes-hungry player in Graham. This is in large part because the Spurs and Gregg Popovich only elected to play him 23 times during his two-year stint. With only a year to prove himself worthy of an extension, Chauncey Billups and the Blazers might see him pop off more.
Graham is an all-around player. He is able to score five points on a 35% clip while also dropping two assists and grabbing 1.6 rebounds. His three-point stroke does need a little bit of work because he only knocks those down 30.1% of the time. Everything considered, this could be a good move for the Blazers.
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