The message to Trail Blazers fans following Thursday’s NBA Trade Deadline shouldn’t be that all hope is lost—it’s not.
The team didn’t make a splashy move that would have put them all-in this year, but they didn’t sit back and watch the players give up on the season, either.
The second half of the season has the potential to be rough; no doubt about that. But following Thursday’s moves to rid the team of bad contracts and worse efforts, the team has officially put this season on the backburner and is making a legitimate move toward brightening the future.
Portland has never been a big free agent landing spot, and it will likely be difficult to make it one this offseason with no active general manager in place.
The past few years, though, we have seen Andre Miller, Wesley Matthews and Jamal Crawford take their talents to Portland, and with so many expiring contracts now making up the Trail Blazers roster, the team has a legitimate chance to use the open pocketbook of owner Paul Allen to sway a big name or two into the Northwest next season.
Deron Williams:
Deron Williams won’t waver on his future for the next year and a half the way Dwight Howard likely will following his decision to remain in Orlando for one more season.
Williams officially came out and announced that he will exercise the opt-out clause in his contract, making him an unrestricted free agent this season.
The 27-year-old point guard is looking for longevity from an NBA team. While the New Jersey Nets’ move to bring in Gerald Wallace is looked at by some to be an attempt at persuading Williams to stay, the Dallas-area native is considered by many to hold the Dallas Mavericks above all other destinations this summer.
This is a pipe dream for Portland fans; we can all admit that. But with $15-20 million ready to spend this summer, the team could use the mighty dollar to pry a legitimate NBA superstar away from his home town.
It’s no secret that point guard troubles and inconsistencies have been a problem not just this season, but since the days of Damon Stoudemire’s Portland departure, Williams is a guy who must be looked at, even if it is a long shot.
Aaron Brooks:
If Deron Williams is going to be as difficult to pry away from New Jersey and Dallas as some expect, a good fallback solution at point guard is former Oregon Duck, Aaron Brooks.
It’s difficult to imagine Raymond Felton earning a spot on next year’s roster considering how he’s played thus far, but the acquisition of 23-year-old Johnny Flynn brings in a player who still has room to grow and can add depth to the backup spot if needed.
Brooks’ Phoenix Suns teammate, Steve Nash, has been rumored to Portland seemingly every season for the past few years, and if the Trail Blazers desired, they could shoot him a one-year deal this summer.
Assuming Thursday’s moves were made with long-term aspirations in mind, though, Brooks would be the better name to bring in if you think he can replicate what were his best days as a Houston Rocket.
Brooks is a restricted free agent, but having been absent from the NBA all season to remain in China, he could ultimately become attainable come July.
Roy Hibbert:
The Trail Blazers have officially severed ties with former No. 1 pick Greg Oden, and it’s time to begin planning for the future of the center position.
Roy Hibbert is an All-Star this season, and his career-highs in points, rebounds, blocks and field-goal percentage are more than appealing to a team whose current center spot comprises 32-year-old Joel Przybilla and 39-year-old Kurt Thomas.
Hibbert is a restricted free agent this summer, and the Indiana Pacers are going to consider every offer that comes through the door for the 7’2”, 260-pound big man.
If Portland can find a competent general manager, though, who can swoop in and begin taking care of business in a new era of Blazers basketball, a “Toxic Offer” could be sent Indiana’s way, not unlike the one that landed the team Wesley Matthews two seasons ago.
New Jersey Nets’ center Brook Lopez is also a restricted free agent, but with Deron Williams’ impending departure, any offers sent Lopez’s way are likely to be snatched up instantly by General Manager Billy King and the Nets organization.
Ray Allen:
A 15-year veteran who will be 37 years old this July is not exactly what most people have in mind when thinking about planning for the future of this organization.
Obtaining shooters who can take the load off of LaMarcus Aldridge, however, very much is.
Ray Allen, who holds the record for most three-point completions in NBA history, has been touted throughout his career not just for his long-distance shooting, but also for his ability to hit clutch baskets in late-game situations—two things the Trail Blazers have desperately needed this season.
When the Blazers began to rebuild a few seasons back, the future looked bright, but the team couldn’t quite get over the hump. They had the youth, but they were missing the veteran leadership that is needed to push a team to its highest potential.
The leadership of Aldridge and Allen, mixed with their abilities to spread the floor, could be exactly what the Blazers need to speed up the growth process that this team will undoubtedly go through heading into next season.
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