Trail Blazers news: Final roster takes shape after rapid sequence of moves

Following a slew of rapid-fire roster moves, the 2023-24 version of the Portland Trail Blazers is becoming clear – as is the inaugural roster of the organization’s G League affiliate, the Rip City Remix.

The team made six transactions in a 36-hour span, releasing a pair of young players as well as a pair of veterans, one of whom is on his last legs in the NBA, while converting one forward’s deal into a two-way contract and claiming another off waivers from the Phoenix Suns.

Here are the moves Portland made and what the roster looks like three days before the opening tip of the regular season.

Trail Blazers final roster close to being solidified after series of transactions

The moves the franchise made are as follows:

• Portland converted Justin Minaya’s deal into a two-way contract. He joins Skylar Mays and Ibou Badji as the Blazers’ three allotted two-way players. The 6-foot-5 wing played four games with Portland at the end of last season and averaged 4.3 points and 3.8 rebounds in 22.3 minutes per game.
• The Trail Blazers waived forward John Butler Jr. to make room for Minaya and waived forward/center George Conditt IV. Conditt is expected to join the Remix, per Sean Highkin of The Rose Garden Report.
• Portland waived forward Kevin Knox, who re-joined the team this offseason after arriving in a trade deadline deal last February. The former lottery pick has now been jettisoned by four NBA teams in five seasons, although Highkin reports that Knox is another potential member of the Remix.
• The Blazers waived center Duop Reath, who played well during the preseason and with Portland’s summer league team. It appears Moses Brown will make the final roster as the third center behind Deandre Ayton and Robert Williams III.
• The Trail Blazers signed forward Ish Wainright off waivers from the Phoenix Suns. The 6-6, 250 pound forward appeared in 60 games for Phoenix last year, averaging 4.2 points in 15.3 minutes per game.

Portland is down to 14 players on its NBA roster to go with its three two-way players. The Trail Blazers have room to add one more player to the active roster, if they so choose, before opening the season with a road game against the LA Clippers on Oct. 25.