The Portland Trail Blazers announced Monday that they have reached an agreement with Joe Cronin on a multiyear deal. This news doesn’t come as quite a shock, given how the Blazers have improved from an atrocious 21-61 record last year to currently sitting at 35 wins on the year after starting the new year out on the same note. Since the conclusion of the All-Star break, the Portland Trail Blazers have an above .500 record at 22-16.
Team Chair Jody Allen had this to say regarding GM Joe Cronin: “Joe has demonstrated leadership and vision during his time as general manager, and I’m excited to see him continue building the foundation for a long-term, winning team,” team chair Jody Allen said in a statement. “We are all thrilled with the team’s forward momentum and excited for the future of Trail Blazers basketball.”
The Developing and Resilient Portland Trail Blazers
While assembling their pieces in the shadows, something is going right for the Portland Trail Blazers. Adding former 9th overall pick and Washington Wizard Deni Avdija in the 2024 offseason has worked out tremendously. He had a stellar March with averages of 24.9 points per game along with 10.5 boards and 5.5 assists.
They’ve also hit on a few selections in the past years’ drafts, including Shaedon Sharpe, who is having a career year averaging 18.3 points. “My vision is to have a competitive roster with the potential for sustained success while creating a culture that helps all our players, coaches, and staff thrive,” Cronin stated during an interview.
Cronin received the GM job after Portland decided to part ways with former GM Neil Olshey in May of 2022. Cronin received a four-year deal.
Final Thoughts
Portland seems to be on the right track with the moves they’ve made. Instilling veteran presence is a key component to their success while constantly developing new talent. Although the departure of former franchise star Damian Lillard was heart-wrenching to Blazer fans, there is more to come for “Rip City” in the upcoming years.
