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Portland Trail Blazers: Wenyen Gabriel signs with New Orleans Pelicans

Stevie Cozens|
PORTLAND, OREGON - FEBRUARY 25: Wenyen Gabriel #35 of the Portland Trail Blazers looks on in the fourth quarter against the Boston Celtics during their game at Moda Center on February 25, 2020 in Portland, Oregon. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images)
PORTLAND, OREGON - FEBRUARY 25: Wenyen Gabriel #35 of the Portland Trail Blazers looks on in the fourth quarter against the Boston Celtics during their game at Moda Center on February 25, 2020 in Portland, Oregon. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images)

Portland Trail Blazers big Wenyen Gabriel won’t be back with the Blazers in 2021. He has signed with the New Orleans Pelicans on a two-year deal.

Andrew Lopez of ESPN has broken the news that the New Orleans Pelicans have signed Wenyen Gabriel to a two-year veterans minimum deal, the Portland Trail Blazers won’t have him on the team in 2021.

Though the 23-year-old Gabriel only played limited games and minutes with the Blazers in the 2019/20 season, he impressed with his energy, rebounding, and developing three-point shooting.

Gabriel played 19 regular-season games and 4 playoff games, averaging two points and two rebounds and five points and two rebounds, respectively.

Though it seems like Gabriel was liked as a development option for the Blazers, Neil Olshey said in his free agency press conference that the Blazers wouldn’t use their Bi-Annual exception as they wanted to stay out of the luxury tax. With just $600 thousand space under the tax, this meant that Gabriel had to sign elsewhere. Olshey talked about not wanting to go back in the tax, as this would trigger a repeater penalty for being in the tax three years in a row.

Also, the Blazers had 14 rostered players, so signing one more would cost them some flexibility in the case of buyouts or injuries.

When Harry Giles was signed as a backup big, this meant that the Blazers had three big men on the roster. We wish Gabriel all the best with his new team in New Orleans.