Blazers GM: ‘Josh Hart is a keeper’

If you want an idea of how interim general manager Joe Cronin wants the Trail Blazers to look like next season, tune in to the next game and focus on No. 11. That’s Josh Hart, the newly acquired wing who has been so good, so versatile and so competitive since arriving in Portland that Cronin wishes he could clone him. “He’s a keeper,” Cronin told The Athletic. “Josh embodies what we are trying to build here. The talent level, the skillset, the competitiveness, the IQ, the defensive-minded, guard-anyone approach. His ability to make others better, to make shots, push the ball.”
Source: Jason Quick @ The Athletic

What’s the buzz on Twitter?

Casey Holdahl @CHold
Nuggets 124, Blazers 92: FINAL. 16 points, 4 assists for @Anfernee Simons. 13 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists for @Drew Eubanks. 11 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists for @Josh Hart. 9 points, 5 rebounds, 3 steals for @Greg Brown. – 11:27 PM

Casey Holdahl @CHold
Nuggets 86, Blazers 70: end of third quarter. 14 points, 4 assists for @Anfernee Simons. 11 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists for @Josh Hart. 7 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists for @Drew Eubanks. 7 points, 3 assists for Brandon Williams. – 10:55 PM

Casey Holdahl @CHold
Nuggets 65, Blazers 48: halftime. 13 points, 2 assists for @Anfernee Simons. 5 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists for @Drew Eubanks. 7 points, 3 rebounds for @Greg Brown. 5 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal for @Josh Hart. – 10:12 PM

Casey Holdahl @CHold
Nuggets 32, Blazers 27: end of first quarter. 9 points, 1 assist for @Anfernee Simons. 5 points, 2 assists for Brandon Williams. 4 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist/steal for @Josh Hart. POR shooting 50 percent, DEN 52 percent. – 9:38 PM

Aaron J. Fentress @AaronJFentress
Billups said that Keon Johnson will start at shooting guard, Josh Hart will move to small forward and CJ Elleby will slide to power forward. Drew Eubanks will start at center with Anfernee Simons at point guard. Denver by 15. – 7:45 PM

Jay Allen @PDXjay
Keon Johnson will start at SG tonight for the #Blazers against the Nuggets. Josh Hart will slide to SF. – 7:20 PM

Josh Hart @joshhart
#KTBFFH 💙💙 – 2:30 PM

Josh Hart @joshhart
This match is crazy – 1:19 PM

Josh Hart @joshhart
Goodmorning @Joe Ingles It’s match day and game day!!! #COYB – 11:36 AM

Josh Hart @joshhart
Twizzlers are better than Red Vines – 9:06 PM

Josh Hart @joshhart
Timbers 🪓⚽️ – 7:29 PM

Josh Hart @joshhart
Only 50 listings of @jenkinsthevalet 🤯🤯 – 5:10 PM

Josh Hart @joshhart
What I woke up to the last two mornings…definitely going to take these down bro 😂 @Larry Nance Jr pic.twitter.com/Wg1DKUtbao – 6:14 PM

More on this storyline

Jonathan Feigen: Josh Hart, who will be traded to the Trail Blazers whenever the deal becomes official, in the front row opposite the Rockets bench, wearing a Brandon Ingram jersey. Good seats but he knows people here. -via Twitter @Jonathan_Feigen / February 8, 2022

Shams Charania: The New Orleans Pelicans are finalizing a deal to acquire Portland Trail Blazers guard CJ McCollum for a package around Josh Hart and draft compensation, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. -via Twitter @ShamsCharania / February 8, 2022

Brian Windhorst on Pelicans: ‘They’re pretty active looking to buy even though they’re outside of the top 10 right now. Maybe they won’t be able to buy but it won’t be for the lack of trying. Because from what I understand they got this whole portfolio of draft picks, including the top-10 protected Lakers’ pick. (…) And they have made Josh Hart available.’ -via Apple Podcasts / February 5, 2022