The Portland Trail Blazers moved on from Dalano Banton this past offseason. The polarizing guard received interest from teams overseas but ultimately bet on himself, wanting to continue his career in the NBA.
After working out for teams like the Golden State Warriors and Indiana Pacers, Banton landed with the Dallas Mavericks. They waived him in a move that set him up to join their G League affiliate, the Texas Legends.
Banton had success in 32 games in the G League, averaging 24.1 points, 6.5 assists, and 4.1 rebounds per game. That contributed to the Los Angeles Clippers' decision to sign Banton to a 10-day contract over a week ago.
Clippers gift Dalano Banton new chance to extend NBA career
That's significant as it means the Clippers have the right to either re-sign Banton to another 10-day deal or, potentially, give him a standard NBA contract. The former is the more likely route, as Los Angeles can give him an extended audition.
He's only played two games so far with the Clippers, making little impact with 3.0 points and 1.0 assists in just 5.0 minutes per game. But this was a low-risk move for a new-look Clippers team that drastically retooled its roster at the trade deadline, swapping James Harden for Darius Garland with the Cavaliers and shipping Ivica Zubac to the Pacers.
With two of their best players now elsewhere and Kawhi Leonard even potentially out the door as a trade candidate this summer, it's clear the Clippers are going to need more shot creation. That's what makes this a great fit, as it's what Banton does best.
That skill set was no longer necessary for a Blazers team that emphasized a less stagnant offense over the summer. They also unexpectedly landed a replacement in terms of having a high-volume microwave scorer in undrafted rookie Caleb Love, who has proven to be a hidden gem for Portland this season. That's proving to be the right decision. The Blazers already face enough of a roster crunch as is, needing to clear room to convert both Love and Sidy Cissoko (who reached his 50-game limit) to standard contracts.
But under the right circumstances, Banton can absolutely still be a viable NBA player. Unfortunately, those circumstances didn't apply to Portland's situation, but perhaps Los Angeles is the change of scenery he needs to extend his NBA career.
He hasn't made a compelling case through two games, but hopefully the former Blazers guard can turn things around and convince the Clippers he deserves an extended look.