5 players the Trail Blazers must target if they want to make the playoffs

2. Bobby Portis

If you’ve been a longtime Rip City Project reader, you probably know that I’ve been on the Bobby Portis train for a while (as you can see here and here). He’s the type of player that can get hot and give you 30 on any given night, while also being willing to accept the grind and work exceptionally hard. His good days will win you close games and his bad days won’t drag the team down.

Fortunately, there’s a distinct possibility he ends up on the buyout market this year. Portis is owed $15 million this year with a team option of $15.75 million for next season. Let’s be honest, there’s zero chance that that team option gets picked up. New York was likely looking to convey a strong first half from Portis into future assets — much like they just did with Marcus Morris.

There is no point in paying Portis the entirety of his hefty contract just for him to walk this summer. There’s also no point in Portland continuing to play G League roulette at the backup power forward spot if they seriously wish to make the playoffs.

Portis has had his minutes slashed and is struggling to maintain a rhythm this season.  Just last year, however, he put up 14.2 points per game while shooting 39.3 percent from beyond the arc. primarily playing a bench role, Portis still managed to score 20 or more points in 22 percent of his games played last year.

His ability to go nuclear on any given night could help tilt a handful of crucial playoff games in Portland’s favor, and go a long way towards helping the NBA’s worst bench unit.