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Mailbag: What next for the Trail Blazers in free agency?

By David MacKay

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Unfortunately, even if there were big name free agents still available, the Trail Blazers would have a hard time drawing them to Portland. There is no one remaining that is worth the kind of money the Trail Blazers have. If it is truly burning a hole in their pocket, they could go after Josh Smith, but I doubt they would lock themselves into a contract without considering fit just because they have space to do so. The Trail Blazers will likely target mid-level shooters to add depth at the wing.

As it stands, Al-Farouq Aminu is their only small forward, with an undersized Gerald Henderson and Allen Crabbe able to swing in small ball rotations. Aminu has averaged 28.6 percent from 3-point range over the course of his career. He won’t do much for spacing. In fact, with the possible exception of Henderson and the untested Pat Connaughton, none of the players Portland has recently acquired can be considered shooters. There needs to be someone that can slide in at SF and take pressure off of guards Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum.

There are two ideal directions the Trail Blazers can take with that in mind. They can go for a short contract with an experienced veteran that will guide this incredibly young team, or they can lock a younger player into a multiyear contract and continue stockpiling for the future.

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If the Trail Blazers take the first route, they really ought to consider seeing if Dorell Wright is interested in re-signing. He knows the offense, has the proper skill set, and although he has been in the league for 11 seasons, he is still just 29 years old. Other options include Brooklyn’s Alan Anderson and Phoenix’s Gerald Green; both of which are presently unrestricted.

If the Trail Blazers take the second route, Sacramento’s Omri Casspi and the Los Angeles Lakers’ Wesley Johnson aren’t bad options. Both are just entering their primes at 27 years old and have shown that they can contribute at a respectable level.

Of course, Portland could always double down and take one from each camp if they so choose, as they do have two spots remaining on their roster. However, it would behoove them to consider aiming for a point guard as well. As Eric Sparrow suggested, Matthew Dellavedova is a possibility. Although adding a wing will be priority No. 1, the Trail Blazers have the space to force the Cavaliers’ hand with the restricted Dellavedova at a slight overpay.

Personally, I would like to see this whole youth movement continued. Houston’s restricted free agent K.J. McDaniels is an intriguing prospect. He may be a shooting guard, but he is 6’6” and very long. The Trail Blazers could try to pry him away from the Rockets if they are alright with sacrificing the shooting they need so badly in the short-term for sheer potential. As a rookie, McDaniels tied San Antonio’s Danny Green for most blocks per game by a guard. He has the length and athleticism to keep up with small forwards.

At this point, the Trail Blazers should really just focus on positional needs and upside. Small forward has to be their top priority. If they can find someone that is ready to come off the bench and put points on the board at a reasonable price, they should pull the trigger.

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