The Trail Blazers looked like a team that had a nice 4-5 year run in them after the 2012 draft presented point guard Damian Lillard. Lillard proved that he not only belonged in the NBA, but could be a second superstar along with LaMarcus Aldridge, while leading a supporting cast of Wes Matthews, Nicolas Batum, Robin Lopez and others. This cast seemed poised as a dark horse candidate to make a deep playoff run, maybe even to the NBA Finals. Then came the team’s downfall to injuries, trades and free agency.
It started with the torn Achilles of Matthews and it trickled down from there, resulting in four of the five starters leaving and Portland being forced to rebuild from the ground up.
This lead to the acquisition of Noah Vonleh, a 6’10” 245 pound forward. Vonleh was the result of trading Batum to the Charlotte Hornets, and may be the replacement for the all-star Aldridge, however unlikely it may be.
Vonleh, a product from Tom Crean’s Indian Hoosiers, is a former first round draft pick in 2014. The Charlotte Hornets took him ninth but struggled to validate the pick as Vonleh only played 25 of 82 games last season due to a sports hernia injury.
Vonleh drafted 9th overall by Charlotte Hornets in 2014 NBA Draft/ Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Now, let’s take a look at what Vonleh can bring to the table as an asset to the Blazers lineup offensively. While only playing 10.4 minutes per game in his rookie season, Vonleh put up sub-par numbers, as most players would do in that time frame. But when we take a deeper look and consider his per 36 minutes, the numbers are surprisingly good. According to Basketball Reference, Vonleh averaged a double double in this time frame, with 11.5 points and 12 rebounds. Overall he is a hustler, someone every team needs to be successful.
I was surprised to see the amount of points Vonleh put up due to his lack of offensive moves in the Summer League. Vonleh is very raw on the offensive side and most of his buckets come from hustle points (offensive rebounds, hard cuts through the lanes and fifty-fifty balls). However, Vonleh has been practicing his outside shot and showcased his shooting skills in the Las Vegas Summer League, going 5-10 (50%) from behind the arc.
In the video below, watch in the first possession as Vonleh catches the ball on the secondary break and immediately swing it to teammate Ra’Shad James, then sets a down screen for point guard Tim Frazier. The screen allows Frazier a driving lane and forces the big to help Frazier’s defender, leaving Vonleh all alone at the top of the key. In this play, the screener was the scorer.
In the second possession, Frazier sets up the offense as he brings the ball up. Vonleh is the trailer and sets the off-ball screen for guard Andre Dawkins whose defender switches and begins to guard Frazier. The big on defense senses the mismatch and decides to play help defense on Frazier, once again having no respect for the Vonleh jumper. Vonleh feels no pressure at the top of the key once again and hits his second three in a row.
Overall, Vonleh averaged 17.2 points and 8.5 rebounds while averaging 29 minutes per contest. Yes, it is only summer league where half the players on each team will not see their names on the active rosters come the beginning of the season, but every other NBA player in the league right now has had to prove themselves in this competition before making it to the Association.
Obviously the team will not look the same as it did in the summer league, as superstar Lillard, among others, will rejoin the team during the regular season. How will this impact Vonleh’s game and ultimately the team as a whole? It should have a positive one as Lillard is a top player in the league at forcing double teams and help defenses, leaving teammates open for passes and easier chances for offensive rebounds (traits Vonleh excels at).
The thing that Vonleh has on offense that not all young players have is potential. Vonleh is only 20 years old and still has not gone through a whole NBA season without an injury. In 3-5 years, his game could be a model of Aldridge, Chris Bosh or Tim Duncan. This is high praise for someone that has virtually no offensive game other than get it and shoot, so do not expect All-Pro numbers just yet.
Lillard Looks for Open Man/ Credit: Craig Mitchelldyer-USA TODAY Sports
Although the Blazers may not have any offensive sets specifically for Vonleh, it doesn’t mean he won’t be a contributor on that end of the court. As previously stated, all the attention Lillard demands leaves players like Vonleh open after a screen, whether it be on a roll, pop or slip. Vonleh’s ability to knock a jump shot this season may contribute to whether he is in the rotation, unless he shines on the defensive end.
It is not specifically defined what forward position Vonleh will play this season. He may see action at both the power and small forward spots, and that may all depend on whom he has to guard on defense. Is he quick enough to keep up with the small forwards like Kevin Durant, LeBron James and Paul George? Or strong enough to bang with bruising power forwards Zach Randolph, Blake Griffin or Kevin Love? It may depend on the opposing team’s lineups each day that determines the playing time of Vonleh.
Vonleh is a solid defensive player and can cover the Small and Power Forward Positions/ Credit: Thomas J. Russo-USA TODAY Sports
Currently, Vonleh has versatile 7’1” 245 pound Meyers Leonard and 6’10” 225 pound Ed Davis in front of him on the depth chart. Both Leonard and Davis’s spots in the rotation aren’t set in stone, so Vonleh must be prepared if the moment comes. Leonard has tendencies to rely heavily on his jump shot instead of looking to drive more. If Leonard becomes deficient with his jumper, the door will be open for the players behind him, as he already struggles on the defensive end.
Davis is another player, like Vonleh, who needs good guards around him to make him valueable on offense. Thankfully, the Blazers have good passing guards that are willing to feed their big men in Lillard, Gerald Henderson and C.J. McColllum. Davis is also an above average rim protector, something he does better than both Leonard and Vonleh.
For Vonleh to move up on the depth chart he must out-hustle everyone, improve his jump shot, and prove that he can guard one of the better players on the opposing team on a nightly basis. He must also get the crucial offensive and defensive boards, à la Tristan Thompson for the Cleveland Cavaliers. A rebound he does not get can be the difference between a win and a loss or playing and sitting on the bench.
Vonleh is a very good player, a fact many teams supported when he was considered, and eventually became, a top ten draft pick. He may not be able to dominate a game like a superstar can, but he will play his hardest and do what is best for the team. He is a valuable asset to a young Blazers team and should be part of the core as the team begins their quest back to relevancy.