Stock up: Dalano Banton
Hot take: Joe Cronin made the best move of the 2024 trade deadline. If not, he legitimately made a good one acquiring Dalano Banton from the Boston Celtics essentially for free.
Banton has always been an intriguing young player as a 6-foot-9 point guard. He's flashed the physical traits that made him 46th pick in the 2021 draft, but he's never put together any consistent stretches his first few seasons in the league.
Perhaps that's because he never got the chance.
In 16 games with the Trail Blazers (seven starts) Banton is averaging 14.4 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.8 assists and is shooting almost 39 percent from three on more than four attempts per game in 25 minutes. His 40 games with the Raptors to start this season was the best stretch of his career to that point - he averaged 7.8 points and shot 34.1 percent from deep in 14.4 minutes a night.
Banton's versatility has also stood out, and with the injury situation, has been crucial since he arrived in Portland. He's started games at both backcourt spots and his size has allowed Billups to play him as essentially a small forward in three-guard lineups.
He's still only 24 years old and this extended run is helping Banton show what he can do at the NBA level when given a legitimate opportunity.