Portland Trail Blazers: 3 second chance players to pursue this off-season

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Second chance candidate two – Thon Maker

Thon Maker, recently of the Detroit Pistons, is a 23-year-old big man out of Australia. Once dubbed a future MVP by NBA legend Kevin Garnett, Maker hasn’t been able to push on from some massive playoff performances in his early years with the Milwaukee Bucks.

In a lot of ways, Maker had his best NBA season in 2019/20. He shot 44 percent from mid-range and 35 percent from three. He drew lots of fouls, and he forced turnovers and protected the rim. But, he wasn’t a plus on the NBA court.

Yes, he did improve, but the bar was shallow from previous years. His best year being 4.7 points and 2.8 rebounds on a terrible Pistons team, shows you how far he still has to come.

I think that Maker has a future in the NBA as a power forward, though. At seven-feet with a seven-two wingspan and nice ball skills, Maker can be a modern stretch big. He can shoot the three, he blocks shots, and he can put the ball on the floor.

Maybe he doesn’t get it together in the NBA, but on a minimum free-agent deal in 2021, I would take a risk on him. He may not have many suitors, so a one or two year deal could do the trick. He could play off the bench as a four or five, and maybe the Blazers’ superior development could get something out of him.