The Portland Trail Blazers quietly let Dalano Banton walk in free agency this summer. Because Banton himself is a polarizing guard, it was also a polarizing decision.
On one hand, Portland's offense will need more scoring with Anfernee Simons and Deandre Ayton out of the picture. On the other hand, general manager Joe Cronin decided to part ways with Simons and Ayton to free up touches for Portland's young core. To keep the high-usage guard Banton around would defeat that purpose.
Ultimately, the cons of keeping Banton around in Portland outweighed the pros, as the Blazers decided to sign Blake Wesley with the final roster spot instead. That decision is justified by the fact that Banton has yet to find a new landing spot.
What's next for Dalano Banton?
Sean Highkin of The Rose Garden Report provided somewhat of an update on Banton, which is that there is no update.
"I have no idea what's going on with Dalano Banton this summer. At this point, he might either have to go overseas or go to somebody's training camp on a prove-it deal," Highkin wrote.
It seems teams around the league have come to the same realization about Banton's game as the Blazers did. He provides value as a jumbo guard and microwave scorer, which was apparent in multiple Blazers games throughout the season, particularly when they needed him the most in the fourth quarter.
However, Banton's flaws outweighed those memorable performances. The same questionable shot selection and ball-dominance that led to those heroic fourth quarters more consistently resulted in frustrating possessions.
His 24.1 usage rate from last season was the third-highest on the team, behind only Shaedon Sharpe and Anfernee Simons. That's a problem, as the offense should never run through Banton more than Deni Avdija or Scoot Henderson, especially given his lack of playmaking (two assists per game).
That's also where the catch-22 lies: Banton is at his best with the ball in his hands, but the offense shouldn't effectively be run through him. In other words, his skillset doesn't scale down well into a diminished role. Because of this, Banton is the type of player who could absolutely thrive as a go-to option overseas.
With the 2025-26 season just two months away, roster spots around the NBA are continually filling; with no update surrounding Banton, it's becoming increasingly likely that's how this situation plays out.
It's unfortunate for Banton, but his lack of value around the league proves that the Blazers were right to take their roster in another direction.