Former Portland Trail Blazers guard Dalano Banton was an unrestricted free agent this past offseason. The Blazers decided not to bring him back, which is a decision that looks even better after recent developments.
Despite his microwave scoring ability and unique skillset as a 6-foot-8 jumbo guard, Banton struggled to find a landing spot this summer. His options were to take his talents overseas or continue to fight for his NBA life in the G League. Banton received interest overseas but decided to take the latter route, ultimately signing a non-guaranteed training camp deal with the Dallas Mavericks. Dallas then waived Banton, which set him up to join their G League affiliate, the Texas Legends.
Through four games with the Legends, Banton is averaging 21.5 points, 5.5 assists, 5.0 rebounds, and 3.8 turnovers on 43/20/87 shooting splits. He's leading the team in field goal attempts (18.0 per game) and is their second leading scorer behind Gonzaga guard Ryan Nembhard. This shouldn't come as a surprise, as Banton is ideally suited for an increased role as a go-to option against lesser competition.
The issue, however, lies in his inefficient shooting and lack of playmaking, which prevent his role from effectively scaling down as required at the NBA level. The Blazers realized this, deciding to go with Blake Wesley over Banton in the backcourt for the final spot on their 15-man roster.
Blazers vindicated for letting Dalano Banton walk in free agency
Wesley is unfortunately out 8-12 weeks due to a right foot fracture, but he looked like an ideal fit with his defensive tenacity before the injury. Both struggle with their floor spacing, but what separates Wesley from Banton is his two-way play and ability to impact winning without needing the ball in his hands -- a crucial trait to have for a player on the end of your bench.
That's why it was perfect timing for Portland to move on from Banton.
They took a low-risk flyer on Banton in their trade with the Boston Celtics, sending over a heavily protected second-round pick. Banton showed enough down the stretch of the 2023-24 season for Portland to pick up his team option and give him an extended audition.
Credit Banton for capitalizing on his opportunity, but it turns out he was at his best because key players were sidelined, giving him that increased role he's needed to succeed -- which doesn't come in the best interest of the Blazers as a whole.
He came back down to Earth in 2024-25. While there were certainly highlights, including heroic fourth-quarter performances, for the most part, it exposed his inability to scale back his role.
This offseason, the Blazers emphasized having more overall movement in their offense, and their decision to let Banton and his 24.1% usage rate walk helped them achieve that. Considering how great Wesley matches their identity and Banton's struggles to find a spot on a 15-man roster, Portland's decision is now looking better than ever.