Jabari Walker is coming off his rookie season, where he averaged 3.9 points and 2.3 rebounds per contest while shooting 41.9% from the field in 56 regular season games for the Portland Trail Blazers.
In July, he played for the Trail Blazers in the NBA Summer League and averaged a very productive 12.4 points, 8.2 rebounds and 1.6 assists per contest while shooting 56.8% from the field and 50.0% from the three-point range in five games.
On Wednesday, Sean Highkin of the Rose Garden Report reported that the Trail Blazers will guarantee Walker's salary for the 2024 season.
Via Highkin: "The Blazers are guaranteeing Jabari Walker’s contract for the coming season, according to a league source. Today was the deadline and after a strong Summer League it was a formality."
Walker was initially the 57th pick in the 2022 NBA Draft out of Colorado.
He spent two seasons with the Buffaloes and helped them make the second round of the NCAA Tournament in 2021.
When next year begins, Walker will only be 21 years old, so he is still very young and a good player for the Trail Blazers to keep on the roster to develop.
As for the Trail Blazers, they are coming off a season where they went 33-49 and finished as the 13th seed in the Western Conference.
They have now missed the NBA playoffs for two straight seasons, despite having superstar Damian Lillard.
The team will likely enter into a rebuilding mode, as Lillard may not be with the Trail Blazers next season.
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