Rayan Rupert is a rare third-year player on the Portland Trail Blazers' Summer League roster. It will be an excellent opportunity for him to gain much-needed experience, as Rupert is the biggest threat to crack Portland's rotation in the coming season.
Rupert is heading into the final year of his contract after the Blazers picked up his team option for the 2025-26 season. His $2.2 million contract is fully guaranteed, and he's now set to become a restricted free agent next summer. The Blazers made the right decision to pick up his option, which felt inevitable despite Rupert not playing a significant role in the first two seasons.
Rayan Rupert is ready for an increased role with the Blazers
He averaged just 3.0 points and 1.3 rebounds this past season, but had limited opportunity, playing 8.8 minutes per game. That was nearly cut in half from his opportunities as a rookie. There's a chance he gets back closer to that 16.2-minute mark in his third season, especially with the Blazers' depth taking a hit with players like Jabari Walker signing with the Philadelphia 76ers and Dalano Banton remaining a free agent.
Rupert was the No. 43 overall selection in 2023 and is someone the Blazers front office is high on regarding his upside. He's far from a finished product and will drastically benefit from increased reps in the Summer League. But he also already possesses traits that could help him consistently crack Chauncey Billups' rotation next season.
For starters, he's an absolute pest defensively, constantly picking up his opponent the length of the court. Rupert uses his 6-foot-6 frame and 7-foot-2 wingspan to be a versatile defender, which is perfect for the defensive-minded identity that Billups wants to establish, similar to his Detroit Pistons team of old.
Offensively, Rupert is still a work in progress, but possesses intriguing upside as a rare point forward hybrid. The Blazers' offense will need more playmakers next season after downgrading in that department from Anfernee Simons to Jrue Holiday. It would give Portland's offense a massive boost if Rupert could alleviate at least some of that playmaking burden in limited stretches next season.
At 21 years old, the theoretical idea of Rupert as a player far outweighs his current contributions. But a third-year leap could be in store for him to get closer to that ceiling that the Blazers continue to invest in.
It will be a crucial year for Rupert because at some point, Portland will have to decide whether this project is worth the roster spot. The good news is, Rupert is ready to take another leap, which will be evident in the Summer League.