With LaMarcus Aldridge out 6-8 weeks (torn ligament in thumb), is it time for the Portland Trail Blazers to make a more aggressive move for free agent hybrid center Jermaine O’Neal?
Earlier this month, ESPN’s Marc Stein reported that the Trail Blazers were interested in pursuing O’Neal, who has been weighing a return to NBA basketball against retirement at 36 years old. With their big men dropping like flies, they need someone with O’Neal’s defensive skills in the post now more than ever.
Here is what Portland’s frontcourt situation looks like right now:
Kaman (leg contusion) QUESTIONABLE; Batum (wrist sprain) DOUBTFUL; Aldridge (thumb), Lopez (hand) & Freeland (shoulder) OUT v Wash.
— Trail Blazers PR (@TrailBlazersPR) January 23, 2015
Remaining big man options:
Meyers Leonard, Thomas Robinson, Dorell Wright, Victor Claver
While I believe that it is times like these that teams find surprises out of necessity, and that injuries do not necessarily equate to losses, the Trail Blazers are in no position to rely on a turn that may or may not be coming. They have already slipped from second to third in the Western Conference and are now just five games ahead of the eighth seeded Phoenix Suns. They need to consider making a move ahead of the February trade deadline.
That move could be re-doubling efforts to sign O’Neal without waiting for a trade partner to help clear space. If the Trail Blazers are willing to swallow the remainder of Claver’s $1.4M salary, they can waive him to speed their pursuit. However; that is more easily said than done, since the would-be expectations of O’Neal have drastically changed since this discussion was first given life.
Just two weeks ago, the purpose of signing O’Neal would have been to add depth, not avert catastrophe. That would have been fine because 10-15 minutes a night he can do, but asking for 20-25? He is not meant to be a workhorse at this stage of his career. Would he even have interest in joining the team without a playoff lock or a star to play behind off the bench?
What once seemed a mutually beneficial arrangement has become a risk for both parties. The Trail Blazers need a younger, less fragile player, and O’Neal needs a team with immediate promise. After all, the Trail Blazers should not waste money on a one-year deal without championship aspirations in mind, and O’Neal should not sign a one-year deal unless a championship is a distinct possibility.
That is what makes this O’Neal business so complicated. He could certainly help hold down the fort for a while, and would even have pressure relieved when Lopez and Freeland return, but the chances that his efforts would be enough by the time Aldridge returns in March are slimming. He would have to trust that the Trail Blazers can get favorable playoff seeding with his help, while the Trail Blazers would have to trust a 36 year old body not join their Walking Dead.
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For these reasons, the Trail Blazers might be better off working with what they have while pursuing other avenues of roster improvement. It is time for Robinson and Leonard to make their third year leap and hold this team together. This may not be the most palatable strategy on paper, but it fits the team’s ‘internal growth’ mentality. They should still consider making a move if the opportunity presents itself, but only if it is unquestionably the right move to make. Right now, that may exclude signing O’Neal.