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NBA free agency is set to begin on Friday, and the Portland Trailblazers are already making moves that are raising eyebrows. The Blazers opted to release Trendon Watford, which elicited a simple response from Blazers independent reporter Sean Highkin.
This is … very surprising. https://t.co/jmQmBhWVbh
— Sean Highkin (@highkin) June 30, 2023
Trendon Watford has been a solid player for the Blazers in his first two seasons in the NBA and many around the Blazers believed he was a part of the future. Instead, Watford now joins NBA free agency as an intriguing young option for teams across the association.
Although Highkin references that the move is surprising, the tea leaves could indicate that the move is to set up for something bigger. The Blazers have been embroiled in rumors surrounding a Damian Lillard trade, so waiving Watford could be to potentially open up a roster spot for a trade that brings in a haul of players.
This is all speculation and does not disregard the surprising nature of this move. Watford improved greatly from his rookie season to his second, particularly from beyond the arc; he was a 23.7% shooter from the three-point line as a rookie, but grew that percentage to 39.1% in his second season. This is the type of improvement teams look for in young players, but ultimately it did not prove good enough for the Blazers.
Keep an eye on the Blazers throughout the rest of NBA free agency and the offseason. Waiving Trendon Watford was definitely not on the bingo card, but it would come as no surprise to see the Blazers involved in much bigger headlines.
