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Here are the 4 players fighting for two-way spot with Trail Blazers

By Ignacio Miranda

Devontae Cacok, San Antonio Spurs - Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Bachman-Getty Images
Devontae Cacok, San Antonio Spurs - Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Bachman-Getty Images /
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Devontae Cacok, Olivier Sarr, Isaiah Miller, and Jared Rhoden recently signed Exhibit 10 contracts for training camp with the Portland Trail Blazers. The four will compete for the only available two-way spot.

Brandon Williams is the other Portland player under that type of contract and the franchise is in a tight salary situation heading into the 2022-23 NBA season.

First, what is a two-way? That’s a player who can play up to 50 games in an NBA regular season and his salary, according to CBA, “does not count toward a team’s team salary (so a team does not need to have room or a salary cap exception to sign, acquire, or convert a player to a Two-Way Contract).”

Second, why is Portland’s situation complicated? According to Hoops Rumors, the Blazers remain under the luxury tax ($150,267,000) after letting Didi Louzada walk, with 14 guaranteed contracts and one open spot. As the season goes on, that space could be filled.

Who are these potential new Portland Trail Blazers players?

Finally, it’s time to talk about the franchise’s reinforcements. Devontae Cakoc, 25, and Olivier Sarr, 23, are the only two with previous NBA experience.

The Chicago-born Cacok played 21 games with the Lakers between 2019 and 2021 (one start) and 15 with the Spurs last season. While Sarr, from France, played 22 games (two starts) with Oklahoma City Thunder in 2021-22.

Jared Rhoden and Isaiah Miller, 23 and 24 years old respectively, were not selected in the Draft.

The first one played the Las Vegas and San Francisco Summer Leagues (he averaged 10.6 points between the two tournaments) with Sacramento and the guard played the 2021-22 Las Vegas Summer League with Minnesota and the 2022-23 Utah and Las Vegas Summer Leagues with the Jazz (averaging 3.5 points).

Next. Who should Blazers protect in Expansion Draft?. dark

Only one of the players may ultimately remain on the roster heading into the 2022-23 season and his contract may become a standard contract to satisfy the coaching staff, which still expects to make some changes as the months go by.