iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

I've never been a fan of giving MIP to second-year players. To me, most rookies aren't positive impact/winning players so there's a jump from year one to year two that's expected if you're going to stick.

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Sean Highkin @highkin.bsky.social · 5h

Carla Leite finished third in Most Improved Player voting. Jessica Shepard won and Shakira Austin (who I voted for) finished second.

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Sean Highkin @highkin.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Toumani Camara with the most specific answer anyone has given about goals and expectations for the Blazers this season: 50-plus wins, top-4 seed, home-court advantage in the playoffs.

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Reposted by Sean Highkin

Sean Highkin @highkin.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

On a Blazers media day with nothing but optimism from Damian Lillard, Ja Morant and Micah Nori and nothing but bad news about the new reality of the Tom Dundon era: www.rosegardenreport.com/trail-blazer...

rosegardenreport.com

Trail Blazers Media Day: On-Court Optimism vs. The New Reality of the Tom Dundon Era

Good vibes from Ja Morant, Damian Lillard and Micah Nori were overshadowed by a harsh reminder of the new ownership regime.

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Sean Highkin @highkin.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

rosegardenreport.com

Trail Blazers Media Day: On-Court Optimism vs. The New Reality of the Tom Dundon Era

Good vibes from Ja Morant, Damian Lillard and Micah Nori were overshadowed by a harsh reminder of the new ownership regime.

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Sean Highkin @highkin.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Robert Williams III: "I fuck with Ja, bro."

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Sean Highkin @highkin.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Robert Williams III: "I went through a lot of injuries. Just happy to be back playing. I'm glad it's in Portland." Says he's still working through the plan for the season with the medical staff but doesn't anticipate as many minutes restrictions as he had last year.

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Sean Highkin @highkin.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Jrue Holiday on Ja Morant: "We have so many multi-faceted guards that can do different things. ... Ja can play. I understand why we traded for him. He's a fast-paced player but he also knows how to change speeds and get everybody involved."

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Sean Highkin @highkin.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Scoot on first playoff experience: "It was fire. I haven't played in a serious game since high school. Definitely trying to get back immediately."

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Sean Highkin @highkin.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Scoot Henderson says he was "excited" when the Blazers traded for Ja Morant. "We're getting tight. We're both from the south so we're getting close. He's a great person."

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Sean Highkin @highkin.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Scoot Henderson on extension talks: "Playing my best basketball. Focusing on what I need to do on the court and everything will go off that."

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Sean Highkin @highkin.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Deni on contract extension talks and future: "I trust my representatives and I just trust the process. I don't focus on the contract and what's ahead of me. I'm focused on the season and basketball only."

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Sean Highkin @highkin.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Deni Avdija on ownership/arena drama: "I love the city of Portland. I really trust Tom and the action he takes. Hopefully there's an agreement, but that's above my pay grade. I don't know what happens behind closed doors, but I trust both sides. Both sides love the Blazers."

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Sean Highkin @highkin.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Deni Avdija on Micah Nori: "He really believes in the squad. He's got a brilliant basketball mind and he brings great vibes."

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Sean Highkin @highkin.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Deni Avdija says he's "99.9%" after the back injuries he dealt with last season. "The training staff did a great job of building me a plan that's going to help me."

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Sean Highkin @highkin.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Shaedon Sharpe says he was working out this summer and his knee locked up. "I was frustrated. Spent the whole summer working out and now I have to deal with this injury. But it's giving me time to really study the game in-depth."

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Sean Highkin @highkin.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Toumani Camara on Micah Nori: "The way he communicates with players, very upfront. He makes jokes, very easy to talk to. But when it's time for business, you know what he's about. Very detailed. You can tell right away the way he wants to play."

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Sean Highkin @highkin.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Ja Morant says his main goal for the season is to play all 82 games. As he walked off, Toumani Camara (who played 82 last season) came up. Ja: "Tell them about the 82 games, Tou. I'm trying to get on your wave, bro."

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Sean Highkin @highkin.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Ja on fit with Dame: "We have different strengths. We all know Dame's strengths. For me, I'm able to get downhill. If I get a double, one of our other guys can score. With Dame, I get bigger driving lanes. Dame can shoot it from half court . That allows me more space."

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Sean Highkin @highkin.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Ja Morant on Micah Nori: "Very cool. Chill guy. His communication is very upfront. Day one of the trade, he called me and met me the next day in my hometown. It's been crazy. He's a great players' coach. Guys are connecting with him and I think the city will, for sure."

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Sean Highkin @highkin.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Ja Morant: "The first day I was here, I was passing up shots just trying to feel guys out. Dame wasn't having that."

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Sean Highkin @highkin.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Ja Morant on getting a fresh start: "It was needed. All the things that happened in Memphis stuck with me. As long as 'Memphis' is across my chest, people will keep bringing that up. Some of y'all in here are probably still judging me off that, too." On city of Memphis/Grizz fans: "That's family"

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Sean Highkin @highkin.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Ja Morant on Damian Lillard: "Everything you guys have seen from Dame on the internet, I got to see up close. My job is to make things easier for him, take away double-teams. With how he's shooting the ball, that shouldn't be much of a problem."

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Sean Highkin @highkin.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Ja Morant: "Everybody on the team who has the ball [a lot] are all unselfish. My first time playing point guard was my junior year of high school. It's no different."

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Sean Highkin @highkin.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Damian Lillard on going to Fire games this summer: "It was real cool. It's great for the city, you can see how deep the support is. I'm excited to see where they go and I'll continue to be a season-ticket holder."

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Sean Highkin @highkin.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

First live look at the jersey patch the Blazers will be wearing this season in honor of Rick Adelman, who passed away earlier this year.

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Sean Highkin @highkin.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Dame says he has no restrictions. "I'm operating like I wasn't hurt."

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Sean Highkin @highkin.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Damian Lillard on ownership/lease/relocation talks: "I've embraced Portland. This is my second home. Oakland is where I'm from, but Portland is my second home. I just don't see that happening. I don't see a world where the Trail Blazers aren't in Portland."

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Sean Highkin @highkin.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Damian Lillard: "I didn't choose to not play for a year. I had a pretty significant injury. So I'm playing this season with a lot of joy."

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Sean Highkin @highkin.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Damian Lillard: "I'm [physically] capable doing whatever I need to do. That's why it was important to really take the time to recover. But at this stage, I don't need to kill myself in the regular season playing 35, 36, 37 minutes. We've got a lot of guards."

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Sean Highkin @highkin.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Damian Lillard: "We want to do better than we did last year, coming off a playoff appearance. I see a lot of opportunity where myself and Ja can really help the team. I think it will be a success if we can show improvements and take it up a level."

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Sean Highkin @highkin.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Dame: "If I'm advancing the ball and I'm kicking it ahead to Ja Morant or Deni Avdija, I feel good about that. And if they're advancing the ball and kick it out to me for a three, they should feel pretty good about that, too."

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Sean Highkin @highkin.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Damian Lillard on Ja Morant: "Being around him, he's a good dude. And I consider myself a pretty good judge of character. He's easy to be around. When we're hooping, the talent is obvious."

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Sean Highkin @highkin.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Micah Nori on Ja Morant: "He's got a chance to win again. And he's got a chance to win with leaders he admires and looks up to, and will allow him to be the best version of Ja he can be."

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Sean Highkin @highkin.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Micah Nori: "You dread coming into Portland [as a visiting coach] because when this place is full and they get behind their basketball team ... they get loud and they understand basketball. I'm excited from that standpoint."

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Sean Highkin @highkin.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Micah Nori says Deni Avdija's role will be similar to last year. "Tiago and his staff did a great job with that. We'd be crazy not to carry that over."

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Sean Highkin @highkin.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Micah Nori on guard logjam: "You have guys who are willing passers. You're not adding Ja wanting to shoot 22 or 24 times a game. The league is going a lot smaller and positionless. I think it's a good problem to have."

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Sean Highkin @highkin.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Micah Nori: "It's like Christmas Eve, looking at all these combinations. In training camp, when you don't take any losses you're still undefeated."

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Sean Highkin @highkin.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Joe Cronin on Yang Hansen: "I thought he had a really promising offseason. He was really good in Summer League and played really well with the Chinese national team. Even before that, he had some good moments with the Remix."

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Sean Highkin @highkin.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Joe Cronin says Scoot Henderson is "still high-priority" and there's "seemingly mutual interest" in doing an extension before the opening-week deadline but no sense of whether it will ultimately get done.

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Sean Highkin @highkin.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Joe Cronin on Ja Morant's off-court concerns: "Who Ja is as a person doesn't concern us. We've studied him for a long time and we're very confident that he's a good guy. I also have a lot of faith in our environment and our ability to support him."

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Sean Highkin @highkin.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Joe Cronin: "We like our depth. We're really excited about 1 through 15 on this roster."

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Sean Highkin @highkin.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Joe Cronin on Ja Morant trade: "It was based on our belief in him still being a high-level player. I'm sure there will be questions around fit and positions, but we're very focused on adding to our talent base."

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Sean Highkin @highkin.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Joe Cronin says that the entire team is "fully cleared and healthy" with the exception of Shaedon Sharpe's meniscus surgery.

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Sean Highkin @highkin.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Joe Cronin: "This is a season I've been looking forward to more than I have in a long time."

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Sean Highkin @highkin.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Dewayne Hankins: "The league has been tremendously helpful. Adam [Silver] said it would be a failure [if the team moved]. We tend to agree with that. It's a challenging situation. It's very public and there's a lot of politicians who have made it a political football."

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