The Portland Trail Blazers found a hidden gem with their two-way signing of Sidy Cissoko. But he's now reached his 50-game limit, forcing Portland to decide whether to convert his contract to a standard one.
The Blazers strategically sat Cissoko out in Wednesday's loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves so that he could play in Thursday's win over the Utah Jazz. They now enter the All-Star break with much more time to make their decision.
Blazers face roster crunch as Sidy Cissoko hits game limit
The fact that he's now started 24 games this season, including a recent start in Utah, shows how important Cissoko is to this roster. On Thursday, he played 30 minutes, finishing with eight points, four rebounds, and two steals while shooting 3-of-4 from the field. While those numbers may not jump off the page, Cissoko is the type of player whose impact on winning goes far beyond the counting stats. That's what makes him the ideal role player as someone who doesn't need to score or have the ball in his hands to impose his will on the outcome of the game.
Portland seems to know this, too, which is why they intend to convert Cissoko and Caleb Love. Both players have emerged as some of the best two-way deals in the league, giving Portland a silver lining to an injury-plagued season.
Converting both is a no-brainer to give the Blazers more reliable depth as they continue to fight for a playoff spot. They don't have to make an immediate decision with Love, who is behind Cissoko with 45 games played.
We were expecting a consolidation trade, as that would've been the most effective way for the Blazers to resolve their logjam while gaining assets in the process. But now that the trade deadline has passed, the Blazers' only option to clear up two spots on their 15-man roster would be to waive players.
Matisse Thybulle is one player Portland should strongly consider cutting ties with. He's played just four games this season, dealing with right knee tendinopathy and recovering from left thumb surgery. Given his injury-proneness and expiring contract, it makes perfect sense for the Blazers to prioritize their more reliable youth.
Before the season started, the idea of picking Cissoko over Thybulle would've been laughed at. But that's how quickly things develop in the NBA. Cissoko has had a career year in Portland, and he's absolutely played his way onto this 15-man roster.