Kevin Durant is a Golden State Warrior. Dwyane Wade is a Chicago Bull. Derrick Rose is a New York Knick. Pau Gasol is a San Antonio Spur.
One more thing.
Evan Turner is a Portland Trail Blazer.
Take it all in, folks. The 2016 NBA offseason got weird, and Rip City contributed to that fact in the most unsatisfying way possible.
Despite offering Chandler Parsons a max contract (and attempting to woo Dwight Howard in the process), Portland ended up with Evan Turner. Yes, the same Evan Turner who underwhelmed as a No. 2 pick but revitalized his career as a Sixth Man of the Year candidate last season with the Boston Celtics.
We could go into the X’s and O’s of this signing (and many have at this point), but the truth is that this summer is about more than upcoming in-season strategy. This summer is about Portland failing, yet again, to land its target in free agency while the rest of the league shakes things up in the grandest of ways.
While the Turner signing, four years for $70 million, seems extreme now, the truth is that two years into the future you’re looking at a multi-talented starter on a pre-2017 deal (when the cap spikes yet again), and you probably see a value signing. You see a dude who does a little bit of everything (except hit the three-point shot) including ball handling in the second unit.
You also see someone who can attack the basket when the incumbent backcourt specializes from behind the arc.
What you don’t see is a needle-moving transaction in Portland, which is something you haven’t seen in…well…ever, really.
Festus Ezeli looks like he’s coming to Portland, which indicates the Blazers are at least still interested in competing during the 2016-17 season. But with Golden State as the clear favorites for the foreseeable future, Portland’s moves fail to offer much hope in terms of championship contention.
tl;dr: Blazers = ¯_(ツ)_/¯
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