Blazers Cut Festus Ezeli in Salary Cap Move

Festus Ezelihas been waived by thePortland Trail Blazers, concluding a one-year relationship featuring zero regular-season appearances in a Blazers uniform. Ezeli battled left knee injury the entire year, undergoing abone marrow injection procedurebefore the season started andseason-ending surgeryin March. In between,frustration boiled overfrom all sides regarding his fitness and willingness to play.

Had the Blazers not cut him, Ezeli would have remained with the team for the 2017-18 season at a rate of $7.7 million. Today’s move trims that amount to $1 million,according to Basketball Insiders. It also opens up a roster spot for incoming rookiesZach CollinsandCaleb Swanigan.

Ezeli signed with the Blazers on July 7, 2016, concluding a free-agency period that left themon the outside looking inas the leaguechased big-name centers. During thepress conference introducing Ezeli to Portland篮球运营总裁s Neil Olshey said adding the 6’11” center would put “additional pressure on the team” to succeed because he shored up Portland’s gap on defense, completing a roster which “had a lot of answers” and would “cause a lot of problems for people”. Olshey also said he was proudest of the character of the new recruits—Ezeli, plusEvan TurnerandShabazz纳皮尔—citing how “seamlessly they’re going to fit into our culture”. Olshey cautioned against chasing more obvious free agents at the expense of cultural integrity and character. The sentiment was seconded by Trail Blazers Head Coach Terry Stotts.

Ezeli holds career averages of 4.2 points and 4.3 rebounds in 14.1 minutes per game. He has appeared in 170 contests over a five-season span, four with theGolden State Warriors.