The Portland Trail Blazers defeated the New Orleans Pelicans in their third summer league game with a final score of 93-87.
Portland was led by the play of third-year player Rayan Rupert, who had yet another dominant performance, this time to the tune of 24 points, three rebounds, one assist, and two steals with a game-high plus/minus of 27. Rupert's efficiency was also encouraging, shooting 9-of-12 from the field and 4-of-6 from beyond the arc.
Chauncey Billups needs to find a rotation spot for Rayan Rupert
The French guard finished his second season in Portland shooting just 27.1 percent from three, making it an uphill battle to crack Chauncey Billups' rotation, especially considering the Blazers already struggle in that department. This summer has been a limited sample size, but Rupert is trending in the right direction as an offensive threat, particularly as a shooter.
In the Blazers' first summer league game, a decisive win over the Golden State Warriors, Rupert stood out with a game-high 23 points, shooting 2-of-3 from deep. He could be on the brink of a third-year breakout campaign if he carries this momentum into the 2025-26 season.
Rupert is a perfect fit with Portland's defense-first approach. His 7-foot-3 wingspan gives him versatility to guard multiple positions, and his tendency to pick up opposing teams' ballhandlers the length of the court is complementary to Chauncey Billups' system.
Offensively, he is an underrated passer and possesses upside as a playmaker due to his unique point-forward skillset. Because of these traits, Rupert was already making a compelling case for an increased role. His minutes inexplicably decreased from 16.2 per game as a rookie to 8.8 this past season. That was bound to increase with Portland's offseason moves, as they have depleted depth with only 13 players currently on their roster.
But if Rupert's improved shooting is here to stay, Billups will seriously have to consider giving him 20-plus minutes on a nightly basis.
At 21 years old, Rupert has untapped potential that the Blazers are invested in after deciding to pick up his $2.2 million team option for the 2025-26 season, while players like Jabari Walker (signed a two-way contract with Philadelphia) and Dalano Banton (remains an unrestricted free agent) are elsewhere.
The Blazers are still years away from being genuine contenders and, despite the surprising Jrue Holiday deal, need to continue making the development of their young core a top priority for the upcoming season. They did a good job gaining more clarity with certain players in 2024-25, and this season could be Rupert's turn to see where exactly he fits into their plans. And as this summer league has shown, he's ready for an increased role.