As the trade deadline approaches, with more moves for the Portland Trail Blazers sure to come, one player’s spot on the team is in serious jeopardy. Saying Rayan Rupert is on the hot seat is an understatement as the Blazers face a roster crunch.
Rayan Rupert looks like the odd man out
Rupert has played a minimal role in Portland’s rotation over the past 1.5 seasons. The former 43rd overall pick is averaging 12.2 minutes per game this year, only a slight uptick from the 8.8 MPG he logged in 2024-25. In the playing time he does get, he’s not a loud contributor by any means.
The Frenchman is posting just 2.7 points per game this season on 34.8% from the field and 27.0% from three. He’s not aggressive on either end of the floor— he’s only attempted 14 free throws and blocked two shots in his 43 games played. While he has moments of intrigue, such as his 10-point, five-steal outing against the Wizards on January 27th, Rupert is a non-factor more often than not.
Meanwhile, his teammates are improving quickly and passing him in the depth chart. Deni Avdjia, Toumani Camara and Jerami Grant already command a lot of minutes on the wing. Sidy Cissoko has made a huge leap this year, snatching up 21.9 MPG. Even Kris Murray is favored more than Rupert by Tiago Splitter. To make things even worse for Rupert, Portland just acquired Vit Krejci, another guy who plays the same position and will definitely be seeing the floor regularly.
Not only is Rupert’s rotation spot virtually doomed, but he’s at risk of being traded or even cut. The aforementioned Cissoko is on a two-way contract, and he only has five more games of eligibility remaining. The Blazers are reportedly looking to convert him, which would mean they need to free up a roster spot. Rupert is a clear-cut candidate to be sacrificed.
Is Rupert worth holding onto?
Rupert still has the makings of a solid NBA player, at least in theory. He has good size, a respectable feel for the game, and, most importantly, he doesn't turn 22 years old until May. The wing is still very young, and he’s shown flashes, especially in Las Vegas last July. He was always going to be a project prospect that requires patience to develop.
Unfortunately, the Blazers can’t really afford Rupert the patience he needs anymore. They’re starting to outgrow their rebuild and have no shortage of talent on the wing. That said, the team should be looking for ways to move on from him to make room for Sidy Cissoko or find more value elsewhere.