Blazers Big Men: Who Should be Dealt – Davis or Plumlee?

Which center makes more sense for the Blazers going forward?

*If you missed yesterday’s article on why the Blazers might have to trade one of their centers, check it out here.

If you had to choose, which center should General Manager Neil Olshey trade: Ed Davis or Mason Plumlee?

It might seem ludicrous to send one packing this off season, as both players played an integral part in the Blazers surprisingly successful season and are relatively young. Assuming the Blazers sign a big man who cannot shoot outside of five feet – like Davis and Plumlee – it will be necessary. Their skill set, while not the exact same, is redundant. If Portland wants an efficient offense that can compete with Western Conference elites, two non-shooting big men cannot play at the same time.

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Rather than divide 48 minutes at center between three players, Olshey would be wise to cash in on Davis or Plumlee’s value via trade. Ideally, the Blazers sign a starting center that can protect the rim and bring either Plumlee or Davis off the bench.

Given this scenario, the question is posed again: Which of the Blazers centers should stay and who should go?

First, let’s look at their age and contract:

*According to hoopshype.com

Some fans scoffed at the price of signing of Davis last offseason, but with the rising salary cap, it is now an excellent price for an excellent backup center. Plumlee’s contract is up after this coming season, which can be spun in a good and bad way. He is extremely cheap for a solid center, but his next contract will be much larger. Any suitor for Plumlee would have to consider the fact that he may leave after one season.

What about the strengths of each player and how they fit in with the Blazers scheme?

Davis is an elite offensive rebounder. This is incredibly useful if your team is built around two guards that make a living shooting from deep. It is also a skill that translates well to an ideal bench player, as offensive rebounds can be momentum changing in big games. While not an elite defender, Davis was more effective than Plumlee at protecting the rim. According to NBA.com’s rim protection statistics, opponents shot much worse with Davis protecting the rim rather than Plumlee this season:

Finally, we’ve discussed how neither player shoots outside of five feet, but what are the other weaknesses in each player’s game?

Plumlee’s greatest strengths were on full display against the Clippers. Despite the loss of their two biggest stars, the Clippers might have still knocked off the Blazers in round one if it wasn’t for Plumlee. The move by Terry Stotts to have Plumlee distribute the ball to cutters changed the series. As a center, Plumlee is elite at passing. This is an important trait for a center because a pass out from the post to a three point shooter is typically the highest percentage look a deep shooter can get. He also grabs defensive rebounds very well. Against the Clippers, Plumlee narrowly missed a triple-double in multiple games.

Davis does not provide much on offense besides rebounding. He is not a great passer, cannot dribble well and typically does not hit free throws at an acceptable rate. Plumlee’s weaknesses are clearly on the defensive end. Despite being freakishly athletic, he does not protect the rim. Another major weakness in his game was exploited by Draymond Green and Andrew Bogut in round two. Plumlee does not respond well to being pushed around. He gets visibly rattled against alpha-male bullies like Green.  

Next: Olshey's Eye For Centers

In conclusion, both Davis and Plumlee make for excellent backup centers and at the moment,  are both relatively cheap. As far as choosing one to stick with long term – my choice is Davis. If Olshey wants to build around Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum, the Blazers need all the defensive help and offensive rebounding possible. Also, Olshey values continuity, which Davis provides since he is locked up for two more years on his current contract.