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Portland Trail Blazers: 5 important decisions to make in the off-season

By Stevie Cozens

LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA - AUGUST 29: Carmelo Anthony #00 of the Portland Trail Blazers reacts after being called for a foul against the Los Angeles Lakers during the third quarter in Game Five of the Western Conference First Round during the 2020 NBA Playoffs at AdventHealth Arena at ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on August 29, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. 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. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA - AUGUST 29: Carmelo Anthony #00 of the Portland Trail Blazers reacts after being called for a foul against the Los Angeles Lakers during the third quarter in Game Five of the Western Conference First Round during the 2020 NBA Playoffs at AdventHealth Arena at ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on August 29, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. 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. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)
(Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images) /

Decision two – whether to bring back Wenyen Gabriel

There are a multitude of decisions to be made when it comes to our front-court. The only certainty is that Jusuf Nurkic will be fit, and he will be the starting center. Outside of that, everything else is up in the air.

There are two specific needs that this team has though, and they should try addressing when building next year’s roster. They are defense and finishing at the rim. Finishing consistently at the rim has been an issue for this team for years now. They have been worse than 23rd for the last five seasons.

In Wenyen Gabriel, they have a forward / center, who if he can continue to develop, can be a plus defender and a strong finisher at the rim. He is six-foot-nine with a big seven-foot-one wingspan, and he is athletic.

This Blazers team doesn’t really have any athletes outside of Gabriel and maybe Anferne Simons.

Although we only saw it in patches in the playoffs due to matchup issues or foul trouble, Gabriel did a decent job on guys like Anthony Davis and Dwight Howard in the playoffs. Yes, he fouled too much, but he has the tools to defend these guys. He is a great offensive rebounder as well.

Although we have rarely seen it at the NBA level, Gabriel can also shoot. He has good mechanics, and he shot it well at the G-League level. The other positive of bringing back Gabriel is that he will likely be cheap.

They could sign him to a veteran’s minimum that would mean they don’t have to use any of our precious cap space or midlevel exception. His market is likely to be no more than the minimum.

Bringing Gabriel back makes sense, and it should only be a formality to iron out a two-year minimum deal.