Chinanu Onuaku Among Hopefuls Trying to Crack Trail Blazers Roster

Among the hopefuls on thePortland Trail Blazersroster as preseason commences standsChinanu Onuaku, a 6’10 center hoping to stick in the NBA after two seasons, and only six appearances, with theHouston Rockets.Old friend David MacKay caught up with Onuaku this week,as the big man reflected on his time in Houston and talked about his chances with the Blazers.

As MacKay chronicles, Onuaku wasn’t entirely unfamiliar with Portland’s roster:

The fit in Portland has been comfortable thus far. Onuaku was already familiar with several of the roster’s younger members, and he feels well-liked among his peers.

“Like just meeting up with old friends,” he says of playing with Wade Baldwin,Caleb Swanigan,杰克门外汉,Gary Payton II, and Cameron Oliver. Onuaku previously teamed with Payton in Summer League and G-League play, while sharing the court with Oliver in Rockets training camp last year.

And his goals are modest:

“A two-way contract is not out of the question,” he firmly asserted. “I’ll try to get a two-way somewhere.”

Would you be excited to see Onuaku on a two-way deal with Portland this season? The big man rotation has plenty of holes. Any chance he catches on?