Trail Blazers Sign Another Player To Hardship Contract

With no less than 10 players listed on their injury report, the Portland Trail Blazers are just trying to field a team for each of their final games of the season this week. To that end, they've signed yet another player to a "hardship exception" contract. 

Justin Minaya has signed a 10-day contract with Portland and will suit up In Memphis tonight.

— Steve Popper (@StevePopper) April 4, 2023

Justin Minaya, an undrafted forward out of Providence last year, has been signed to a 10-day contract, and will finished out the regular season with the Trail Blazers. 

Minaya spent the season south of the border with the Mexico City Capitanes of the G League. In 27 regular season games, he averaged 12.7 points, 4.4 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 2.1 steals in about 35 minutes per night. 

But more recently, Minaya has averaged 17 points — on 40 percent three-point shooting — with 4.8 rebounds, 2.3 steals and 1.4 blocks in his last 10 games.

Minaya becomes the 3rd player to sign a hardship exception for the Blazers within the past week. They've also signed guards Skylar Mays and Shaq Harrison under the same type of 10-day deal.

Damian Lillard, Jerami Grant, Anfernee Simons, Jusuf Nurkic, Justise Winslow, Keon Johnson, and Cam Reddish have all missed at least the last three games (many more in some cases). It's full-on Tank Central in the Pacific Northwest.

Photo: Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports