12. Pau Gasol
Over the course of his career, Pau Gasol has been selected to six All-Star games, named to four All-NBA teams, and won two NBA championships with the Lakers. Having a guy that is as accomplished as Gasol on the Portland Trail Blazers could be crucial to winning a championship this season.
Portland has the talent to win a championship, but they’ll also need locker room leaders to help get the most out of the young core. No matter what Gasol does on the court this season, his presence in practice as a mentor figure could play a huge factor in Portland’s upcoming success.
Ar 39-years-old, Gasol probably no longer has the athleticism or skill set to be a successful role player in the NBA this year. In fact, his statistical performance has drastically dropped over the past few seasons.
I do not expect Pau Gasol to get any significant playing time this season. He will provide depth in the mix of bigs that Portland has to offer. He knows exactly what it takes to win a ring, and I expect him to bring that mentality to Portland Trail Blazers this season.
— Baker
11. Nassir Little
Nassir Little oozes natural talent. Seriously, it would be hard to build a better physical profile for a basketball player that could still remain on the board at No. 25 overall. Normally, that would be a cause for concern. Surely a player of that caliber must have underlying injury issues, or was an issue in the locker room?
No, the only thing faulty with Nassir’s game is that he wasn’t given enough chances at North Carolina. Head coach Roy Williams purposefully restricts most freshman from playing starting minutes due to the fact they’re usually too untested, too immature (in a basketball sense), and too raw.
So far, that seems like an accurate analysis. Little has looked very much like a long-term project player during his relatively short stint with the Blazers. In four games of Summer League play, he averaged a paltry 3.3 points and 3.3 rebounds per contest.
But considering the fact he’s owed just shy of $11 million over the next four years — assuming Portland picks up his two years of team options — Little is exactly the type of player you want to gamble on. His huge 7-foot-2, 220 pound frame could allow him to become an elite wing defender.
The best part is, he doesn’t need to become the player right away. Or next year. Or even the year after. He just needs to show positive progression in Portland’s system and do the little things he can to help the Blazers win whenever his number is called upon.
— Carroll