Two of the most revered and successful players in Portland Trail Blazers history are returning to the franchise. Brian Grant and Terry Porter have joined general manager Joe Cronin’s staff in separate roles, The Oregonian/OregonLive has learned, adding decades of basketball knowledge and experience to the Blazers’ basketball operations department. Porter has been hired as a scout and Grant will serve as a basketball liaison, team sources told The Oregonian/OregonLive. Insiders are hopeful the duo’s wealth of basketball expertise and familiarity with Portland and the Blazers will provide a boost to the organization as it looks to take another step forward in its multiyear rebuild. The legendary former players have been involved in a variety of roles with the franchise over the years, mostly through the ambassadors and alumni program, but these are new, more impactful positions that could benefit the team. Grant is working extensively with players in a mentorship role, focusing on building a connection in a non-coaching capacity. He is expected to provide an ear for players to talk to, give on- and off-court advice and guidance, and offer life skills, according to a team source. Grant actually started in his new job in May, during the buildup to the NBA draft, and joined the team for Summer League competition in Las Vegas. “He came to us and said, ‘I really like what you guys are building and I want to be a part of it,’” a team source told The Oregonian/OregonLive. “He’s already spent time with the guys and has been around every day this summer. Everyone is thrilled to have him.” Grant only played three seasons in Portland, but he remains one of the most beloved and respected players in Blazers history, thanks to his rugged, gritty playing style, oversized heart and success. A beastly 6-foot-9, 255-pound power forward, Grant averaged 10.9 points and 7.4 rebounds in 12 NBA seasons, including 10.2 points and 8.0 rebounds with the Blazers. But his impact was rarely measured in statistics. Grant was the heart and soul of teams that went to back-to-back Western Conference finals in 1999 and 2000. And he took part in one of the most iconic moments in franchise history when he went face-to-face with Karl Malone during a bloody stare down in Game 5 of the 1999 Western Conference semifinals after The Mailman delivered a sharp elbow that opened a gash above Grant’s right eye. Grant, who was active in a variety of charitable and community causes in the area, was equally admired off the court — he won the NBA’s J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award for the 1998-1999 season. He retired in the Portland area after his playing career ended and has remained a fixture in the community since. These days, he’s perhaps best known for being a prominent figure in the battle against Parkinson’s, a disease he was diagnosed with in 2009. Few Blazers have been more beloved. But one of them might be Porter, whose No. 30 uniform hangs in the Moda Center rafters. The two-time NBA All-Star played 10 seasons in Portland, starting at point guard during one of the most successful stretches in franchise history. With Porter running the show, the Blazers reached the playoffs 10 times, which included three trips to the Western Conference finals and two trips to the NBA Finals. Porter, who averaged 14.9 points, 7.0 assists and 3.5 rebounds with the Blazers, remains the franchise leader in assists (5,319), ranks second in three-pointers (773) and steals (1,182), and fourth in scoring (11,330 points). Porter went into coaching after his playing career ended in 2002, filling roles on five different NBA staffs, including three seasons as head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks (2003-05) and Phoenix Suns (2008-09). He also coached the University of Portland men’s basketball team from 2016-2021. Porter has for years been active with the Blazers as an ambassador — a role that he will continue to fill — but there was a “mutual interest in figuring out a way for him to be around” the basketball operations department more, a team source said. In his new role, Porter will serve as both an NBA and college scout, predominantly on the East Coast. Porter has joined a scouting department that has expanded to 11 people under Cronin. https://www.oregonlive.com/blazers/...onian_sf&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter
Considering the new owner supposedly doesn't go for this kind of sappy hires, I wonder how long they'll actually stay employed.
Our scouting department is doing a damn great job. And considering how young this team is, they have stayed out of the headlines compared to young Blazers in years past. As long as that continues, both will keep their jobs.
Two of my favorite ex-Blazers/people. When my son was in grade school, following a practice, I saw Brian Grant come in and start mopping the court. His son’s team was practicing on the court next. I took my son over to Brian to say hi. I told my son that Brian was one of my favorite all-time Blazers. Brian was very welcoming and engaging. He crouched down and told my som that if he works hard enough in life, and puts in the effort, he too can be a janitor like him someday.
