Portland Trail Blazers: 4 seasoned veterans to consider in the 2020 free agency

This certainly won’t be a signing that moves the needle majorly, but it also wouldn’t rock the boat. Assuming the Trail Blazers are resigned to the fact that Anfernee Simons won’t become a pure point guard, they could seek after a low-budget, veteran guard to run the offense.

Simons’ talent level makes it difficult to ever truly put a cap on him. But 32.3 percent of his shots came on zero dribbles, a number that only rose after his hot start in November and December fizzled. He’s shown playmaking chops, but nothing that seems to suggest he’s the de facto backup floor general in 2020-21.

DJ Augustin made his money on the backs of a four-year, $29 million deal in 2016. Despite raising his game in the postseason — 13.1 points and 4.9 assists on a 53.1 true shooting percentage and a +0.5 on-off swing — over the last three seasons, he has only a single deep postseason run to his name, in 2012-13.

Assuming he prioritizes something like that, a trip to Portland as a stopgap guard behind Damian Lillard could be an interesting proposition.

Few point guards are as efficient with the ball as Augustin is. In 2019, only three starting point guards had a better assist-to-turnover ratio.

Augustin also fits what Portland loves to do, producing offensive through the parameters of pick-and-roll play. Markelle Fultz’s breakout cut into Augustin’s opportunities, but a year ago, the former Texan ranked in the 82nd percentile as a pick-and-roll ball handler, a shade under a point per possession.

Augustin will be 33 in just under two weeks. One has to think the idea of a championship run appeases him at this point. The Portland Trail Blazers can’t guarantee that, but they have to remain an intriguing option.