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Portland Trail Blazers: 3 crucial roster deadlines to watch for in October

By Marlow Ferguson Jr.

Aug 11, 2020; Lake Buena Vista, Florida, USA; Portland Trail Blazers forward Zach Collins (33) high fives forward Mario Hezonja (44) after making a three point basket against the Dallas Mavericks during the first half of a NBA game at The Field House. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 11, 2020; Lake Buena Vista, Florida, USA; Portland Trail Blazers forward Zach Collins (33) high fives forward Mario Hezonja (44) after making a three point basket against the Dallas Mavericks during the first half of a NBA game at The Field House. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /
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Portland Trail Blazers
Mario Hezonja, Portland Trail Blazers (Mandatory Credit: Ashley Landis/Pool Photo-USA TODAY Sports) /

No. 2: Hezonja, Hood player-options have an Oct. 15 deadline

The need for switchable, versatile forwards has officially reached a premium in today’s NBA. And along with Trevor Ariza’s contract situation, the Portland Trail Blazers have interesting potential studies in two other proven swingmen this fall.

Rodney Hood and Mario Hezonja couldn’t be further apart on the fan appreciation spectrum. Hezonja appears to have joined the likes of Raymond Felton and Shawn Kemp on the list of short-tenured Blazers that run low on appreciation. Even so, he has the opportunity to redeem himself in 2021, starting with an opt-in on a $2.0 million player-option.

Hezonja is a more interesting case study than meets the eye. NBC Sports Northwest insider Dwight Jaynes made note of how he had been finding his footing pre-Bubble, and how internally taxing it had been for him, trying to fill in gaps on whatever the team needed on a night-to-night basis. Perhaps a more defined, well-rounded team makes for a more productive encore?

Blazers fans on Twitter seem to hope Hezonja worries about that aforementioned depth at the forward position, and opts out, hoping for a more opportunity elsewhere. That seems implausible; there’s sort of a reason Portland brought him along for $2 million.

Value-by-position wise, Hezonja has lived up to that deal. He’s the 70th highest-paid shooting guard, and 312th highest-paid player in the NBA, per Spotrac. It feels like a sure thing for an opt-in.

Hood feels like a safe bet to do the same. It’s difficult to get excited about at the moment, but the delayed start to the 2021 NBA season could be a blessing in disguise, because it will grant Hood additional time to recover, and get to full strength.

If Hood does opt-in to his $6 million deal — which feels likely, because negotiating leverage is hard to gain coming off an Achilles year — could end up becoming one of the great value contracts à la Jusuf Nurkić and Gary Trent Jr. From the start of the season to Hood’s last game on Dec. 6, no player was as accurate on catch-and-shoot 3-pointers than Hood’s 55.3 percent (min. 1 3PM per game). Expect business as usual when Hood gets back to work.