JUSTISE Winslow is not giving up on his NBA dream after undergoing major surgery.
The former Portland Trail Blazers star, 27, is currently an unrestricted free agent after leaving the organization earlier this year.
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Justice Winslow remains a free agent ahead of the new NBA seasonCredit: Getty
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The former Blazers forward underwent ankle surgery in MarchCredit: Getty
Winslow suffered a Grade 2 sprained ankle in a game against the Oklahoma City Thunder last fall.
He went under the knife in March and was released by the Blazers at the end of last season.
The 6-foot-8, 222 pounds power forward remains without a team as he continues his rehab from injury.
Winslow’s injury problems have been more acute in recent years and he’s only played 114 games over the past four seasons combined.
An NCAA Champion with the Duke Blue Devils in 2015, he was drafted later that year by the Miami Heat as the 10th overall pick.
He had appeared to be resurrecting his career in Portland, where he averaged 7.9 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 3.3 assists in 26.8 minutes per game across his last two seasons.
Yet after another injury setback, he finds himself looking for a new team for 2023.
Winslow is a versatile playmaker with strong assist totals and was also trusted with playing point guard in Portland.
And a fresh start could see him unleashed as a strong bench option for rosters across the league.
He explained to RipCityProject: “[Playing PG is] a lot of responsibility that I embrace.
“[It’s] part of my game right now that does not get seen as much because of [Damian Lillard and Anfernee Simons] being great combo guards.”
Winslow could be a potential bargain for teams looking for roster depth, as the Blazers must foot the majority of his $4,097,561 cap hit.
Per Spotrac, he has earned a total of $44,416,626 since entering the NBA in 2015.
