Portland Trail Blazers: Top 3 point guards available for expanded roster
Isaiah Thomas, Boston Celtics Photo by Keith Allison via Wikimedia)
Isaiah Thomas
The ideal candidate for Portland is Isaiah Thomas. A former two-time all-star pick, Thomas was waived by the Los Angeles Clippers on February 9, after his acquisition from Washington as part of a three-way trade, in which L.A. picked up Marcus Morris.
The diminutive (5-9) 31-year old is not the same player who tore up NBA opponents during the mid-2010s with Boston. A May 2017 hip injury limited his abilities over both the 2017-18, 2018-19 seasons. This year with the Wizards, his effectiveness and shooting stats improved and he showed some flashes of his past brilliance. That’s why he was surprised when the Clips waived him.
Thomas’ ball-handling skills are far above anyone else the Portland Trail Blazers have, not named Lillard. He is the perfect backup point guard for this situation. On a pure numbers basis, Thomas averaged per 5.7 assists per 36 minutes as opposed to McCollum (4.3) and Simmons (2.4).
Probably the most significant factor why Thomas is Portland’s best choice is because he, more than the other two candidates, has a chance for one more star run. At only 31, Thomas can earn a nice payday for next year if he can prove himself in Orlando. He will be motivated for one last big contract.
Count on several suitors for Thomas’ services during the week-long free agent frenzy. If the Blazers are going to move on him, it had better be fast.
What do you think about the Portland Trail Blazers signing another point guard for the remainder of the season? Let us know in the comments section below or on social media.