Micah Potter’s week turned fast, but the former Badger landed on his feet almost immediately.
After the Pacers picked up his team option and then cut him just a few days later to make room for Larry Nance Jr., Potter never even made it to the open market. The Portland Trail Blazers stepped in and used their waiver claim to bring him in.
Portland made the fit pretty clear in its welcome message: “Welcome to Rip City, Micah Potter!” The team also pointed to the exact kind of player it believes it’s getting - someone who can stretch the floor and still work around the rim. In that setup, Potter could be looking at more than 25 minutes a game.
The financial side is straightforward, at least for now. Potter was on a one-year, $2.8 million deal that Portland will take over, though the two sides may have worked out something different that hasn’t been revealed.
The Trail Blazers’ release said, “Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.” One wrinkle remains: the contract was non-guaranteed, so if Potter doesn’t stick with the team and no other club claims him, Portland would owe him nothing.
Still, the 28-year-old is trending in the right direction. His run with Indiana showed he can help at this level, including multiple 20-point games and a finish of 9.7 points, 5 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game. He also knocked down 42.3% of his threes, which is exactly the kind of shooting Portland is after.
Potter was already in Vegas for NBA Summer League the same day he was claimed, and while veterans on NBA deals don’t usually suit up there, they’re often around the team. He was spotted courtside for Portland’s opening-day matchup with the Phoenix Suns.
For Potter, it’s another chance to keep building. And for Portland, it’s a low-drama waiver claim that could turn into a useful rotation piece.
In Other News...
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Wisconsins New AD Just Set The Standard For Year One
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Eichorst also made clear that the modern realities of college athletics are already on his radar, with NIL competitiveness among the issues Wisconsin has to keep pace with. He pointed to the need for clarity around the football programs direction under Luke Fickell, a reminder that his first year will be judged not just by introductions and outreach, but by how quickly he helps set the programs next steps. [Read more 🡒]
Wisconsin Faces Familiar Pressure As Another Badgers Reset Raises Real Doubts
Wisconsins latest offseason reset has left the Badgers once again trying to piece together a roster that looks different in all the ways that matter. The departures of Nick Boyd, Andrew Rohde, Braeden Carrington, John Blackwell and Aleksas Bieliauskas stripped away both production and, in some cases, the kind of fit that made the system work, forcing the staff back into the portal for answers. Eian Elmer and Trey Autry are among the newcomers expected to help on the perimeter and defensively, part of an effort to steady a group that has to rebuild quickly.
The optimism around the additions is real enough, but so are the familiar questions that hang over Wisconsin when the shot goes cold. Analysts see reasons for hope, yet they also point to red flags in the Badgers 2026-27 outlook, especially the possibility that the offense can bog down when the three-point ball is not falling. It is the same kind of concern that has trailed the program before, including during last seasons tournament run, and it leaves Wisconsin facing another test of whether a reset can become a step forward. [Read more 🡒]