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Blazers add four new players to Summer League roster

By Nate Mann

LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 16: The Portland Trail Blazers honor the National Anthem before the game against the Memphis Grizzlies during the 2017 Summer League Semifinals on July 16, 2017 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 16: The Portland Trail Blazers honor the National Anthem before the game against the Memphis Grizzlies during the 2017 Summer League Semifinals on July 16, 2017 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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The Portland Trail Blazers have added four new players to its Summer League roster. They will join Zach Collins, Caleb Swanigan, Jake Layman and Wade Baldwin on the team.

With the NBA Draft in the books, free agency becomes step No. 2 of the offseason.

On July 1, teams can start making their push for free agents, but only to the extent of verbal agreements (until July 6). Restricted free agents, two-way players and rookies can sign their new contracts as soon as July 1.

During the heat of free agency, the 2018 Summer League starts. The Portland Trail Blazers play its debut game against the Utah Jazz on July 7. It then faces the Atlanta Hawks on July 8 and San Antonio Spurs on July 10.

Related Story: Predictions for Portland's Summer League roster

After the three preliminary games, Portland moves on to tournament play. Led by Caleb Swanigan, the Blazers made it to the Summer League Finals last season, where it lost to the Los Angeles Lakers.

This year, the team will have a few familiar faces from that finals run – Zach Collins, Caleb Swanigan and Jake Layman should all return. Wade Baldwin IV hopes to as well after a strong finish to the 2017-2018 regular season.

Over the last few days, various journalists have tweeted names of players joining Portland’s Summer League roster. The newest four include: KJ McDaniels, John Jenkins, MiKyle McIntosh and Archie Goodwin.

KJ McDaniels

KJ McDaniels last played professionally in 2016-2017 for the Brooklyn Nets. He participated in 20 games that season, averaging 6.3 points, 2.6 rebounds and 0.6 steals in 14.7 minutes per.

He’s a 6’6″ athletic shooting guard, the last thing the Blazers need after drafting two guards. Plus, he’s only a 29% career three-point shooter.

In the lone season he played over 20 minutes (2014-2015), McDaniels posted 9.2 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.3 blocks per contest. He shot 40% from the field and 29% from three.

John Jenkins

John Jenkins was picked No. 23 in the 2012 draft by the Atlanta Hawks. Like McDaniels, his last NBA season was in 2016-2017. He played four games in that campaign with the Phoenix Suns for an average of 3.3 minutes per.

The only year he suited up for more than 24 games came as a rookie. He averaged 6.1 points, 1.5 rebounds and 0.9 assists in 62 games of 14.8 minutes.

Jenkins is a 6’4″ guard with a career three-point average of 36%. Again, not what the Blazers should be interested in past Summer League.

MiKyle McIntosh

MiKyle McIntosh played four college seasons, the most recent at the University of Oregon. Unlike the first two Summer League additions, McIntosh is a 6’7″, widely-built forward.

As an Oregon Duck, McIntosh averaged 11.8 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 0.8 steals per game. He can shoot the three well for a big man too; McIntosh hit 36% of his three-point attempts as a senior.

He participated in one of the Blazers’ later pre-draft workouts, but went undrafted as expected.

Related Story: Why are the Blazers working out potentially undrafted forwards?

There’s a much better chance Portland picks up McIntosh than McDaniels or Jenkins. McIntosh adds size to a roster full of guards, as well as the ability to stretch the floor.

Archie Goodwin

Portland’s new Summer League additions have a theme.

Archie Goodwin last played professionally in 2016-2017 and is a 6’5″ shooting guard, similar to McDaniels and Jenkins. He played 12 games for the Brooklyn Nets in 2016-2017 and posted 7.9 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game.

Goodwin is slightly different, though, as he signed a training camp deal with the Blazers last season. He was cut after five games, in which he averaged 6.2 points and 1.6 rebounds in 9.6 minutes.

As said with McDaniels and Jenkins, the Blazers should not entertain Goodwin any past Summer League or preseason.

Next: What is the IMG Academy and why did Simons go there?

Joining these four, and the three returners, will be Portland’s newest rookies. That makes for six guards and three big men on the roster. Expect the next few Summer League names to be big men (or at least hope so).