There is a little over a week to go before preparations hit overdrive for the NBA 2019-20 season restart. Teams will carry an expanded roster with them to Orlando for the resumption of play. The Portland Trail Blazers have one spot open for the 17-man squad. That spot should go to another point guard. These are the best available candidates
So much is still left to be finalized for the NBA’s restart this summer. One thing the league and union have agreed to is the addition of a 17th man to each team. Portland has 16 players signed, so they have one spot open. According to The Athletic, there will be a mini free agency period from June 23 – 30 for teams to sign players who were on NBA or G-League teams this year or were in the available player pool when games were postponed due to COVID-19.
Portland needs more depth at the point guard spot for several reasons.
All season long, the Portland Trail Blazers have gone with one true point guard, Damian Lillard. While C.J. McCollum and Anfernee Simmons have done solid work filling in when necessary this season, neither is the answer for extended periods.
Currently occupying in ninth place in Western Conference, the Blazers can’t afford to go long stretches without a floor general. Lillard is one of the best in the world at what he does. The restart situation requires depth at the position.
It will take a while for players to get back into game shape. That includes Lillard. In the eight games Lillard missed this year, Portland suffered through a 2-6 record. A steady hand at the point could mitigate some of the damage should Lillard get hurt.
If Portland falls out of the running for the final playoff spot, why risk injury to Lillard? Worse, what if Lillard gets hurt? Head Coach Terry Stotz would likely sit many of his key players in those situations. The Trail Blazers would have no problem playing a temp as much as possible.
Jamal Crawford – A long shot at best. In 2018-19, he averaged 7.9 points and 3.6 assists in 18.9 minutes. At 40 years old, what does Jamal Crawford have left in the tank?
Whatever “it” was, Tyler Johnson lost “it” in Phoenix this year. He went from 11.0 points, 2.5 assists, and a .367 shooting percentage behind the arc in 257 games for Miami; to 7.3, 2.4, .302 in 44 games with the Suns since a February 6, 2019 trade sent him west.
He stunk up the joint when inserted into games this year. It’s hard to believe Johnson just fell off the face of the earth in one calendar year. By signing the Portland Trail Blazers would be hoping he could return to his previous form. To be honest, Simmons would be a better option.
Trey Burke is another player that lost a bit of his mojo this season. He is one of the top point guards available right now. Burke proved himself as a reliable point guard for several seasons with Utah, Washington, NYK, and Dallas before Philadelphia signed him as a free agent last summer.
That’s why it was a surprise the Sixers waived him, despite a dropoff from his career averages. Burke is only 28 years old, he’s young and can handle extended minutes. If the Trail Blazers can’t sign the number one player on this list, the need to go all out for Burke.
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.