The Portland Trail Blazers waived Trendon Watford in the summer of 2023. Given how well he's currently playing for the Philadelphia 76ers, the Blazers should absolutely be regretting this decision right about now.
It was a surprising move considering Watford was just 22 years old at the time and coming off two encouraging seasons in Portland. The Blazers initially signed Watford to a two-way contract after he went undrafted in 2021. They appeared to have found a hidden gem as Watford proved he belonged in the league from the start. He hovered around 7.5 points, four rebounds, and two assists per game on efficient shooting during those two seasons. He even won the Summer League Championship Game MVP!
The Blazers should've continued investing in Trendon Watford
While we didn't expect him to have this level of success with the 76ers, it was clear that Watford was an NBA talent worth continuing to invest in for a rebuilding Blazers team that traded superstar Damian Lillard away later that offseason.
Not only was he an incredible teammate, but Watford also had a unique playstyle that suggested there was untapped potential if a team could find a way to utilize it best. At 6-foot-8, he had underrated ballhandling, passing, and shooting touch, including a reliable floater.
Portland's loss is Philadelphia's gain, as Watford is now averaging a well-rounded 9.9 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 4.4 assists on 59/50/77 shooting splits. His new teammate, Joel Embiid, even recently compared Watford to ex-teammate Ben Simmons (in a good way) following the first triple-double performance of his career with 20 points, 17 rebounds, and 10 assists.
That was Watford's first start in Philadelphia, as he replaced another former Blazer, Jabari Walker, who the franchise also appears to have given up on too soon. While Watford is a more dynamic player than Walker, there are similarities in terms of Portland moving on from these promising young players before they reach their peak.
Walker shockingly signed a two-way deal with the 76ers this summer after Portland didn't extend a qualifying offer, making him arguably the best two-way contract in the association. The 76ers are off to a 6-4 start on the season, in part thanks to these under-the-radar additions as they continue to find cheap talent to complement their star pieces.
It's hard to argue with the results from Portland's standpoint as they sit at 5-4 despite a demanding schedule. It's also fair to wonder who the Blazers would've let go in place of Walker, in particular, as they have a deep 15-man roster when fully healthy.
However, unfortunately, injuries have already begun to pile up in Portland, and they could really use more reliable role players off the bench, such as a Watford or Walker. Interim head coach Tiago Splitter has relied on a two-way player of their own, Sidy Cissoko, for stretches due to these injuries, but that experiment has not gone well so far. Watford would've provided the Blazers with an upgrade in multiple aspects, especially as a playmaker, as Portland needs more help generating offense.
Portland can't get Watford back, but they need to learn from this mistake. The last thing a rebuilding team should do is give up on promising young talent, especially when their own bench is struggling. These mistakes quietly compound and could ultimately hurt Portland's chances of returning to the postseason.