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Mailbag: Who should Trail Blazers draft if all starters return?

By David MacKay

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In the event that the Portland Trail Blazers believe they can re-sign LaMarcus Aldridge, Wesley Matthews, and Robin Lopez, I would like to see them target a small forward with the 23rd pick in the 2015 NBA Draft. Someone who can defend at a high level and still chip in on the offensive end. My specific answer may change as players impress or fall short of expectations in upcoming workouts, but I’ve been most intrigued by Virginia’s Justin Anderson up to this point.

Trail Blazers Draft Prospect: Justin Anderson

I addressed what I think he would bring to the team in one of last month’s mailbags, so we’ll use this excerpt as a jumping off point and then expand on it a little bit.

"Anderson is one of my favorite wings in this year’s draft. He doesn’t have a lot of star potential, but you could plug him into virtually any NBA second unit and get valuable contributions from him. He is physical on the drive, proficient from deep (45.2%), and he can defend multiple positions. He won’t really create for himself or others, but most role players don’t, and that’s exactly what he is.Anderson would fit nicely into Portland’s 3-point centric offense and 3-point denying defense. What a luxury it would be to have someone capable of defending point guards, shooting guards, and small forwards to hide teammate deficiencies, while still being able to space the floor on the other end. He is like a raw blend of Allen Crabbe’s offense and aspects of Alonzo Gee’s defense, pre-packaged in an NBA ready frame. A little developmental attention and Anderson could be a reasonable 3-and-D player fairly early in his professional career."

If we indeed assume that all five starters return for the 2015-16 season, the Trail Blazers will be fringe contenders in the west. In which case, it would be wise for them to invest in a player that can make an impact right away. After three years of college ball, Anderson is NBA ready. Like any prospect, there are elements of his game that need polish, but he not only offers one of the most rounded games of players anticipated to be available in the 20-30 range, he offers the physicality and strength that most players don’t develop until a few seasons in, if at all.

Consider him something of a poor man’s Shane Battier or Thabo Sefolosha with a younger man’s aggression in terms of play style. A forward on the smaller side that is strong enough to defend his position, but fast enough to cover guards as well. He won’t be the offensive focal point, but he doesn’t need to be. He is good for sprinkling in a three or muscling to the line if need be. For the most part, his value lies in presenting a threat while neutralizing opposing threats.

This isn’t to say that Anderson can walk onto a court and lock it down. He is still only 21 after all. There are times when he gets caught ball watching or has difficulty navigating a screen, but he is ahead of the learning curve. There may be arguably better defenders available (Rondae Hollis-Jefferson), though I suspect his greater potential as a shooter will make him more appealing.

For the Trail Blazers, he would be reasonable Arron Afflalo /Dorell Wright insurance. Again, operating within the hypothetical of a returning starting unit, some of the secondary free agents would have to sign elsewhere. Since depth at the wing has been a recurring problem for Portland, perhaps drafting a guy like Anderson could work toward solving it sustainably.

Justin Anderson highlights via Virginia Sports TV

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