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Portland Trail Blazers: 3 best backup big men signings

PORTLAND, OREGON - MARCH 10: Aron Baynes #46 of the Phoenix Suns looks on during the first half of the game against the Portland Trail Blazers at the Moda Center on March 10, 2020 in Portland, Oregon. The Portland Trail Blazers topped the Phoenix Suns, 121-105. 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 Alika Jenner/Getty Images)
PORTLAND, OREGON - MARCH 10: Aron Baynes #46 of the Phoenix Suns looks on during the first half of the game against the Portland Trail Blazers at the Moda Center on March 10, 2020 in Portland, Oregon. The Portland Trail Blazers topped the Phoenix Suns, 121-105. 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 Alika Jenner/Getty Images)
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(Photo by Ashley Landis-Pool/Getty Images)
(Photo by Ashley Landis-Pool/Getty Images)

Portland Trail Blazers backup big man option three – Derrick Favors

Derrick Favors has just come off contract with the New Orleans Pelicans after being traded there a season ago by the Utah Jazz.

Now a full-time center after playing as a power forward for most of his career, Favors will likely be taking a significant pay cut on his next deal. After nine seasons with the Jazz and his year with the Pelicans, Favors has earned $100 million as a traditional back to the basket big man.

At six-foot-nine and 260 pounds, the lack of an outside game or the ability to switch onto smaller players means he is exclusively a center. He is unable to stretch the floor, so he can’t play the four anymore. No NBA teams are playing two traditional bigs together anymore. One of the four or five has to shoot the three or defend in space in today’s NBA.

But, Favors still has a role in the league as he is an excellent finisher at the rim and a great rim protector.

Favors finishes at the rim at over 70 percent; this is an elite mark for big men in the NBA. Because of his huge body and great touch, he overwhelms opponents with nice post moves while getting to the line at ease. He is also one of the best offensive rebounders in the league.

As a rim protector, he uses his massive seven-foot-four wingspan to swat shots in the restricted area. He has great defensive positioning, and he defends well without fouling.

Now Favors market this off-season could be bigger than the midlevel, but as outlined in other articles on big men, the reduced cap space in 2020 could mean he ends up signing a short team deal to get back into free agency in 2021.

At 29, Favors does have plenty of good years left in the league, but his minutes reduction each year shows how the game is going away from traditional big men.

If the Blazers were able to get a forward by using their trade exception or making a trade, I would use the full midlevel on Favors, and then you have a contract that could be tradeable later on if both Nurkic and Collins have healthy seasons.

These three big men options are all significantly different in terms of cost and skill level, but they could all play some sort of role for the Blazers next season.