Blazers To Waive Dennis Smith Jr; Sign Trendon Watford To 4-Year Deal

The Trail Blazers intend to sign two-way power forward Trendon Watford to a standard four-year contract and waive point guard Dennis Smith Jr., according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

Watford’s new deal is worth $5.8 million and includes two seasons of guaranteed salary, Wojnarowski reported, with presumably one of those being the remainder of this season.

Watford, 21, is 6-foot-9 and is averaging 4.5 points and 3.2 rebounds in 33 appearances as a rookie out of LSU. He has seemingly found a role as the Blazers retool around younger players and wait for next season for Damian Lillard to return from an abdominal injury.

Smith, 24, is 6-2 and signed a free agent deal with the Blazers before the season. The contract was believed to be for one year and the veteran’s minimum. But he is expected to miss the next several weeks with an elbow injury, as Wojnarowski noted.

Smith is averaging 5.6 points and 3.6 assists in 37 appearances in Portland. He has also spent time with the Pistons, Knicks and Mavericks, who selected Smith with the No. 9 overall pick in 2017.