Blazers Forward's Departure a 'Heist' for New Team, Per Expert

Did the Portland Trail Blazers make a massive tactical mistake in letting a promising forward depart in free agency?

That's the question that could come back to haunt them, at least to hear multiple experts tell it.

Portland let former standard roster power forward/small forward Jabari Walker depart in free agency. The 6-foot-7 University of Colorado product then inked a two-way deal with the Philadelphia 76ers.

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For now, combo forward Sidy Cissoko — essentially a Walker replacement — and point guard Caleb Love are the Trail Blazers' only two-way signings, meaning the team does have one slot open to bring in a new player.

Grant Hughes of Bleacher Report, in appraising Philadelphia's offseason, absolutely raved about the club's ability to poach Walker.

"Guerschon Yabusele's exit stings, but the Sixers landed one of the better two-way big men in Dominick Barlow and executed a heist by also getting combo forward Jabari Walker on another two-way deal," Hughes writes.

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In three seasons for the Trail Blazers, Walker has averaged 6.2 points on .465/.318/.739 shooting splits, 4.5 boards, 0.8 assists and 0.5 steals a night, across 16.3 minutes per.

Last year, Walker saw his role reduced significantly from his most productive season to date, 2023-24. His minutes were slashed from 23.6 to 12.5, but his shooting efficiency from the floor improved. He connected on a career-best 51.5 percent shooting from the field and 38.9 percent shooting from the 3-point line.

Hughes is not the only pundit applauding the below-the-radar deal.