The Trail Blazers officially announce one signing and one release! Sy SoKe converted to a standard contract with a two-year deal, with Luber making room for him.

On February 21st Beijing time, the Portland Trail Blazers officially announced the conversion of Sy SoKe's two-way contract into a full NBA deal, adding him to the team's 15-player regular-season roster. Sources from the league revealed that Portland signed Sy SoKe for two years, with the contract extending through the 2026-27 season. To create a roster spot for the 21-year-old forward, the team released Luber.

Sy SoKe has been one of the biggest surprises for the Trail Blazers this season. Amid severe injury troubles, he evolved from a two-way contract player into a key rotation member. He is a versatile and tough defender who plays with passion and grit. This season, his aggressive defense and relentless energy have disrupted countless opponents' offenses.

He averages 6.5 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game with a shooting percentage of 41%. Although his stats are not outstanding, his intense defensive effort and fiery playing style have deeply inspired a team that has missed a combined total of 314 games from 13 players due to injuries this season. Sy SoKe has forced 30 opponent offensive fouls this season, ranking fourth in the NBA; his fearless dives for loose balls and physical defense have become routine.

Sy SoKe started this season in the G League but was promoted to the main roster on November 3rd due to injuries to players like Sable and Wesley creating rotation gaps. Since then, he has seized the opportunity firmly, appearing in 50 games with 24 starts. However, two-way players can only play a maximum of 50 NBA games in a season, so the Trail Blazers had to make a roster move to keep him active for the remaining seven weeks of play.

Ultimately, Luber was the player waived. Standing 2.01 meters tall, Luber was selected 43rd overall by the Trail Blazers in the 2023 NBA Draft but has had limited playing time over three seasons, averaging just 3.2 points and 1.8 rebounds in 139 career games.