Outside of a core group, the rosters of rebuilding NBA squads like the Trail Blazers are generally fluid. Decision-makers treat the fringes like spaghetti noodles; throw some players at the wall and see who sticks.
Twenty-two guys have come and gone and made appearances for Portland this season, including some names that have probably been long forgotten: Skylar Mays, Taze Moore and Ish Wainright, to name a few. But when front offices strike gold in unexpected places - late in the second round of the draft or the final stretch of the trade deadline, for example - it can be a game-changer.
Blazers General Manager Joe Cronin has found at least two diamonds in the rough that way, potentially more. But he's also taken some gambles that haven't paid off, and he might need to cut bait and find a way to move on this offseason to clear cap space and roster spots.
Here are three players Cronin brought in who earned untouchable status this season and a pair of others who should prepare to say their goodbyes to Rip City.
3 Trail Blazers who played their way onto next season's roster
Dalano Banton
An argument could be made that acquiring Banton at the trade deadline is Cronin's crowning achievement to date. All he sent to the Boston Celtics in exchange for the 6-foot-9 point guard was a top-55 protected 2027 second-round pick swap - oh, and Portland got $3 million in cash for its trouble.
With more playing time and freedom to let fly, Banton has gone from end-of-bench afterthought to a lock to make Portland's roster in 2024-25.
The 24-year-old - who scored 3.7 points per game across 95 games in his first two NBA seasons - is averaging 16.4 points, 4.7 rebounds and 3.5 assists in 27 games with the Blazers. He has a team option for next season that Portland will certainly pick up and he'll get a chance to prove he's not just a tanking season all-star.
Jabari Walker
Was there any scenario in which the Trail Blazers would move on from Jabari Walker this summer? Probably not, but the Colorado product started the year as a second-year player with some potential and will finish it as a guaranteed piece of the franchise's young core.
Walker has been consistent and reliable for head coach Chauncey Billups, playing in 69 games and starting 20 while averaging 8.9 points and 6.6 rebounds. He's even shown some flashes of an expanding skill set as a scorer. His effort and tenacity on the boards (2.0 of those 6.9 rebounds have come on the offensive glass) have been irreplaceable to the Blazers.
The 6-foot-9 big man is averaging 13.0 points and a wild 17.7 rebounds in his last three games.
Deandre Ayton
Ayton was Cronin's prized acquisition in the trade that sent away franchise icon Damian Lillard. The 7-footer has always possessed the physical attributes needed to be a dominant center in the NBA; he just never put them to use consistently. That was true during his time with the Phoenix Suns and continued during the first half of his debut season in Portland.
Ayton was underwhelming at best through the first three-plus months of the year. The Bahamian missed 17 games and averaged career lows in both scoring and rebounding.
Then something flipped, and post-all-star-break, Ayton has been one of the best big men in the league. Among all centers who have played at least 15 games since then, the 25-year-old is fifth in scoring (23.1 ppg) and rebounding (13.3) and tops in field-goal percentage (59.3 percent) among any player in that group taking at least 12 shots per game.
Ayton is playing like a dominant franchise center. More importantly, he's doing it night in and night out.
2 Trail Blazers who should be cut loose this offseason
Robert Williams III
The 26-year-old was brought to Portland in the trade that rerouted Jrue Holiday to Boston. The allure of having Williams, one of the best defensive big men in the league, man the center spot with Ayton was understandably enticing. But Cronin was gambling on Time Lord's ability to stay on the floor, and that gamble hasn't paid off.
In his healthiest season, Williams averaged 9.6 rebounds and 2.2 blocks in 29 minutes and was named second-team all-defense. But injuries have held him back throughout his NBA career and they caught up with him again this year. Despite being held out of every other game as a precaution, Rob Will only appeared in six contests before tearing ligaments in his knee and undergoing season-ending surgery.
Bringing Williams back next year would only take away developmental minutes from players like Walker and Duop Reath. There's a good chance Cronin addresses the center spot in the draft this offseason, as well. It's time to send Williams packing and recoup whatever draft assets the Trail Blazers can get for him.
Matisse Thybulle
The Blazers matched a three-year, $33 million offer sheet Thybulle received from the Dallas Mavericks last summer. Like the deal for Williams, it made sense: The 26-year-old guard, already one of the best perimeter defenders in the league, seemed to have finally found a consistent jumper after shooting almost 39 percent from three in Portland.
Thybulle has fallen back to Earth offensively, though, and coupled with the team's desire to give more minutes to young players, so have his minutes. 'Tisse has only started 19 games this season and is averaging only 22.9 minutes per.
Suppose his role moving forward is going to be a bench option used most often for defensive purposes in certain matchups. In that case, it makes more sense for the Blazers to move on and let a player with more upside such as Rayan Rupert try to develop into that player.