"Banton's start in the NBA came with a unique piece of history: the Toronto native became the first Canadian player to be drafted by the Raptors when they selected him with the 46th pick in the 2021 NBA Draft. The 6'9" point guard joined the team and spent two seasons as a reserve, popping in and out fo the back-end of the rotation."
"The Raptors ultimately moved on, and after a brief stint in Boston he caught on with the Portland Trail Blazers. It was there that his game took off, and in 30 games to close the 2023-24 season he averaged 16.7 points per game and 4.8 rebounds in a large role for a tanking Portland team. It appeared to be the breakout that Banton needed to establish his NBA career."
"Last season in Portland, however, things never clicked for Banton. His efficiency plunged, his minutes went down, and a team that lacked shooters couldn't field the right kind of lineups around him on the backup unit. That could have been an opportunity for Banton to find a new home, but as the summer moved on there was not a guaranteed contract to be found."
Dalano Banton entered the NBA as the first Canadian drafted by the Toronto Raptors and served two seasons as a reserve. After a brief stint in Boston, he joined the Portland Trail Blazers and averaged 16.7 points and 4.8 rebounds in 30 games to close the 2023-24 season. His size and playmaking created potential as a backup to traditional point guards, but a limited 3-point shot and declining efficiency hampered his upside. Reduced minutes and lineup fit issues in Portland led to the Blazers moving on. An influx of draft talent and roster decisions left Banton without a guaranteed contract despite a non-guaranteed camp invite.
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