The Portland Trail Blazers are among the handful of teams clearly rebuilding entering the 2024-25 season. GM Joe Cronin is patiently navigating what is now year two of the Blazers' rebuild following the blockbuster trade of superstar Damian Lillard last summer.
Heading into this season, the average age of Portland's roster is 24 years old, making them one of the youngest teams in the league. Because of this, many of the Blazers' up-and-coming players are still on their rookie deals, which is one of the benefits of having such a young roster.
Portland Trail Blazers team payroll
Here is the Blazers' team payroll entering 2024-25:
Player | 2024-25 | 2025-26 | 2026-27 | 2027-28 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Deni Avdija | $15,625,000 | $14,375,000 | $13,125,000 | $11,875,000 |
Deandre Ayton | $34,005,126 | $35,550,814 | ||
Dalano Banton | $2,196,970* | |||
Toumani Camara | $1,891,857 | $2,221,677 | $2,406,205* | |
Donovan Clingan | $6,836,400 | $7,178,400 | $7,519,920* | $9,550,298* |
Jerami Grant | $29,793,104 | $32,000,001 | $34,206,898 | $36,413,790 |
Scoot Henderson | $10,259,160 | $10,748,040* | $13,585,523* | |
Kris Murray | $2,990,040 | $3,132,000* | $5,315,004 * | |
Duop Reath | $2,048,780 | $2,221,677 | ||
Rayan Rupert | $1,891,857 | $2,221,677 * | ||
Shaedon Sharpe | $6,614,160* | $8,399,983* | ||
Anfernee Simons | $25,892,857 | $27,678,571 | ||
Matisse Thybulle | $11,025,000 | $11,550,000 | ||
Jabari Walker | $2,019,699 | |||
Robert Williams III | $12,428,571 | $13,285,713 |
*Indicates a team option
There are a few contracts that stand out as what could be considered "bad deals". Jerami Grant and Deandre Ayton are the two highest-paid players heading into next season, and both could be viewed as overpaid in terms of players who are being paid close to the max but can't be the second or perhaps even third-best players on a championship roster.
However, the fact that Grant has teams interested in a potential deal for him suggests that it is reasonable value, as the Blazers could get significant assets in exchange. Even considering his hefty contract, Grant shot over 40 percent from three last season, and teams are always in need of a versatile wing that can space the floor.
Forwards are typically more coveted around the league than big men, and the trade value reflects that, meaning Ayton's $34 million contract will likely be much more challenging to move than Grant's. Ayton is arguably the only unfavorable contract on Portland's roster. The vast majority of the players under contract are team-friendly deals, and that's not just accounting for their rookie contracts.
Deni Avdija stands out as having one of the most team-friendly contracts. He's already on a team-friendly deal for the upcoming season, owed $15.6 million. But he's also on a front-loaded contract, which is valuable given the fact that teams' salary caps are expected to increase and that he should continue to develop at only 23 years old.
Besides Avdija, the other player with noticeably great value regarding his contract is Shaedon Sharpe. Like Avdija, Sharpe could have a legitimate case to make as the Blazers' best player next season, as many are anticipating a third-year breakout season now that he's fully healthy.
Lastly, this team payroll breakdown shows the importance of getting off of Grant's contract. Portland's roster is largely unfinished, and they eventually have more moves to make. They need to retain all the financial flexibility they can and have no reason to keep a 30-year-old Grant on the books for multiple seasons, especially given the size of his contract.
However, it's not necessary for the Blazers to move Grant immediately. They should first pursue trades involving other established starters who are getting in the way of developing their younger players (Henderson, Sharpe, and Clingan), who are the focal points of their rebuild. It's more important for them to move Simons and Ayton over Grant, as player development should take priority over financial freedom, at least in the short term, as they enter the 2024-25 season.