The Blazers have just announced that neither Jusuf Nurkic, nor Anfernee Simons, nor Eric Bledsoe will play again this season. Injured for some time, they had already left their places to random players who are trying somehow to save the furniture. At least now the plan is clear!
That’s it, they have officially found the keys to the tank! After a particularly complicated year, marked by the long-term absence of Damian Lillard, the Oregon franchise will finally be able to plan for the future. Well aware that the season was long lost, Portland has already carried out a major spring cleaning in advance by getting rid of half of its workforce, including CJ McCollum, sent to New Orleans. The objective was clear, to make room in the roster and the finances to achieve a big off-season in the summer of 2022. If a few victories in February had given the impression that the play-in was still playable, the multiplication of injuries among the major players of the team has annihilated this scenario. last night so that we knew that Jusuf Nurkic, Anfernee Simons or Eric Bledsoe were injured and forfeited for the duel against OKC, the Portland franchise has officially confirmed that these three players are ending their season. A press release relayed by Marc Stein of the New York Times.
The Blazers say Anfernee Simons, Jusuf Nurkic and Eric Bledsoe are out for the rest of the season.
Here is my recent interview with the in-demand restricted free agent-to-be @AnferneeSimons: https://t.co/kYH8Kq4uQt https://t.co/czLZu0Guqv
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) March 28, 2022
Portland is now twelfth in the Western Conference and the team could even drop to thirteenth place by April 10 depending on the distance duel with the Kings. With the announcement made by the franchise, there’s no longer any doubt that the Blazers’ goal for the next two weeks will be to lose games. That’s good, they only have seven left to play and, apart from Josh Hart at the limit, no one in the Oregon locker room has enough level to even hope to start in one of the 29 other franchises. To tell you, the roster currently seems to be composed of randomly generated players like on NBA 2K: Greg Brown III, Trendon Watford, or even Keljin Blevins. Without kidding, you could tell us that there is a John Green or a Michael Johnson that we would not be surprised. Special mention to Brandon Williams – who is not even entitled to his photo on the NBA site – but who still makes his stats in the Blazers doldrums with 13.4 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.9 assists in 17 games played under the red tunic. This forced end to the season for the trio could also have other consequences since a player like Jusuf Nurkic finds himself at the end of his contract. Was the Bosnian last seen wearing a Blazers shirt? It’s not impossible.
We won’t see Jusuf Nurkic and Anfernee Simons again this season and tanking is finally official in Oregon. Come on, we chain the defeats and we meet at the Lottery to hope to nab a Top 3 at the next Draft.
Source texte : Marc Stein / New York Times
