Malcolm Brogdon was happy to join the Portland Trail Blazers via trade this past summer. Part of that was Brogdon not feeling wanted in Boston.

"When I was first traded, I viewed it as an opportunity. I really did," Brogdon said. "You can ask people around me how my energy was in training camp. I was excited to be here. I was excited to be with a championship coach. And I was excited to go from a place where I wasn’t as valued, and go to place where I am very valued."

Brogdon was asked if that meant he didn't feel valued by the Celtics. He expanded a bit, while giving kudos to Chauncey Billups.

"At times. At times," Brogdon said. "I was there for a year, won Sixth Man of the Year, and they shipped me out. So like … I didn’t feel very valued there. Here, I feel valued. Portland has embraced me. And I’ve enjoyed being coached by Chauncey (Billups)."

Malcolm Brogdon said he was happy and felt valued by the Portland Trail Blazers amid trade rumors.

“I’m happy here. I’m valued here. Valued in this leadership/lead-guard role. And I can’t complain with that. I’m happy in Portland," Brogdon told Jason Quick of The Athletic.

Brogdon has been linked with several teams, including the Knicks.

Brogdon, whose contract runs through next season, added that he hasn't talked to the team about any trades.

“We haven’t really talked about that. Of course, I’m sure they are looking at their options, but for me, it’s all about using every opportunity to play good basketball and help this team win," said Brogdon. 

The Houston Rockets have interested in Portland Trail Blazers big man Robert Williams III. Even though Williams is out for the season due to right knee surgery, teams have shown interest in trading for him.

Rockets coach Ime Udoka is fond of Williams from their time together with the Boston Celtics. Houston has been looking for frontcourt reinforcements around and behind breakout center Alperen Sengun.

Williams is expected to make a full recovery for next season. Williams is owed $11.6 million this year and has two years and $25.7 million left on his deal through 2025-26.

If Tyus Jones, Malcolm Brogdon or Bruce Brown Jr. are traded at the deadline, their incumbent teams are seeking "at least a first round pick" back in exchange, sources tell Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports.

The price paid by the Miami Heat to the Charlotte Hornets for Terry Rozier, the expiring contract of Kyle lowry plus a protected 2027 first round pick, has helped set the market for the three other available ballhandlers. 

Jones and Brogdon were traded in the offseason, while Brown was dealt from the Indiana Pacers to the Toronto Raptors as part of the Pascal Siakam deal.

The Washington Wizards acquired Jones from the Memphis Grizzlies as part of a three-team trade involving Kristaps Porzingis.

Brogdon was acquired by the Portland Trail Blazers from the Boston Celtics as part of the Jrue Holiday deal.

The Portland Trail Blazers will let the 48-hour deadline to file a protest over Tuesday night's loss against the Oklahoma City Thunder lapse, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

The team is confident that they communicated their frustration over how the game ended to the NBA.

The Blazers contended that Chauncey Billups called a timeout before Malcolm Brogdon was whistled for a travel with 15.1 seconds left in the game. Billups received two technical fouls and was ejected for arguing the call.

The Blazers, who lead 109-108 at the time, lost the game 111-109. 

Portland Trail Blazers center Deandre Ayton knows that fans feel he hasn't lived up to his billing. Ayton doesn't see it that way.

“I got nothing to prove in this league,” Ayton told Basketball Intelligence. “I’m a max player, and I’ll continue to be a max player.”

Ayton signed a maximum offer sheet with the Indiana Pacers in the summer of 2022. The Phoenix Suns matched that offer sheet, and a year later traded Ayton to the Trail Blazers.

Ayton says he's focused on doing the little things to help Portland win.

“I’m letting them know how teams respect me in this league to where they can benefit off of it. I don’t always have to be a scorer or an offensive-minded big night in and night out,” Ayton said. “But just the work that I’ve been putting into with this league, teams overreact to everything that I do on the offensive end, whether it’s a roll to the basket, crashing the glass, setting good screens, slipping screens. They’re going to react with you just putting pressure on that rim. Our guys should just learn how to play point-five actions where it’s catch-and-shoot or it’s making a play for your teammate.”

The Portland Trail Blazers are filing a protest to challenge the result of a 111-109 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, reported Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

The Blazers contend that Chauncey Billups called a timeout on the sideline before a referee whistled Malcolm Brogdon for a travel with 15.1 seconds left in the fourth quarter.

The Blazers led 109-108 at the time.

After angrily reacting, Billups was called for two technical fouls and ejected from the game.

"We've got timeouts. Referees usually are prepared for that, you know, that instance, that situation. I'm at half court, trying to call a timeout. It's just frustrating," said Billups after the game.

Crew chief Bill Kennedy stated that Billups was not granted a timeout because he was positioned behind a ref when calling a timeout.

"The referee in the slot position was refereeing the double team that was right in front of him, which makes it difficult for number one to hear and number two to see a coach request a timeout behind him," said Kennedy.

The NBA will have five days to make a decision once a protest is filed. 

On the This League Uncut podcast with Chris Haynes and Marc Stein, Haynes revealed that the Portland Trail Blazers could move a player that isn't the oft-rumored Malcolm Brogdon or Jerami Grant. Haynes said that Portland could trade Robert Williams ahead of the February 8 trade deadline.

"There are some teams that are pondering making a move for Robert Williams," Haynes said. "Now, I know Robert Williams is out for the season ... but teams feel like he would be somebody that could get on the cheap right now and allow him to continue recovering, continue rehabbing in hopes that he can blossom back into the Robert Williams that we’ve seen when he was playing at a high level with the Boston Celtics."

Portland acquired Williams in the trade that sent Jrue Holiday to the Boston Celtics. The talented big man played in only six games for the Trail Blazers before he tore a ligament in his knee. Williams has been ruled out for the remainder of this season, but is expected to be ready for the start of the 2024-25 season.

Haynes went on to say that Williams' availability via trade from Portland isn't open to questioning.

The Blazers will be very open. That’s not up for debate. If they get the right deal in place, they will be open. ... Robert Williams is somebody that is definitely available," Haynes said.

The Portland Trail Blazers are considered likely to trade Malcolm Brogdon, Marc Stein reported on The Stein Line. If they do, the New York Knicks are expected to be interested in acquiring Brogdon. New York is looking to replace some of the bench production they lost when they traded Immanuel Quickley in the deal to acquire OG Anunoby.

Brogdon has two seasons left on his contract. Both are fully guaranteed at $22.5 million for each season. The veteran guard has averaged 15.3 points, 3.5 rebounds and 5.2 assists for Portland this season.

New York also reportedly has registered interest in Jordan Clarkson of the Utah Jazz. It remains unclear what Utah's trade deadline plans are, as they have had won 12 of 14 games before a two-game slide to end last week.

The Portland Trail Blazers are signing wing Taze Moore to a 10-Day contract. Portland had to sign a 14th player by Sunday to be in NBA roster compliance.

Moore spent most of this season, and all of last season, with the Texas Legends of the G League. The Rip City Remix, the Trail Blazers G League affiliate, acquired the 6-foot-5 wing in a trade last week.

In 21 total G League games this season, Moore has averaged 9.2 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.4 steals. Moore has been considered one of the better perimeter defenders in the G League this season.