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Portland Trail Blazers: 3 ways the Blazers can become the No. 1 offense in 2020-21

By Marlow Ferguson Jr.

Nov 27, 2019; Portland, OR, USA; Portland Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard (left) and CJ McCollum (middle) and Carmelo Anthony (right) react during player introductions before a game against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 27, 2019; Portland, OR, USA; Portland Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard (left) and CJ McCollum (middle) and Carmelo Anthony (right) react during player introductions before a game against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports /
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Portland Trail Blazers
Derrick Jones Jr., Miami Heat (Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports) /

No. 1: Utilizing Derrick Jones Jr.’s athleticism and cutting ability

Of all the money the Portland Trail Blazers spent during this past offseason, their biggest investment was a two-year deal to bring defensive stalwart Derrick Jones Jr. into the fold. We’ve explained what his mere presence means in terms of defending the 3-point line and stymying opposing teams’ rhythm.

Lest we forget, though, there are two sides of the floor. And even though he’s far from an offensive liability, the skillset he showcased in 2019-20 is a bit different from the average starter in the Lillard-Stotts era.

For instance, here are two statistics to know: of the 184 shots that Jones made last season, 43.4 percent of that offense came off cuts or catching lobs. And to boot, Jones required an assist on 150 of those 184 shots.

There’s a strong chance that the $19 million man enters the 2020-21 season with new attributes in tow — such as an improved shooting stroke that makes him a threat from somewhere beyond the dunker’s spot, or the ability to create off-the-dribble. But until there’s proof of that, Jones’ most redeemable quality comes through his 46-inch vertical, 7-foot wingspan, and cutting ability.

There’s reason for optimism with that. Last season, only seven teams used fewer cuts than Portland. But in the Aminu-Harkless regime, finding players on cuts was a mainstay in the offense.

And, Portland has at least shown a willingness to get creative to take advantage of players’ athleticism. One example would be in how the Blazers used Jake Layman a few seasons ago when he briefly started alongside Lillard, McCollum, and Nurkic.

In the below example, Portland steals a page from The University of Virginia’s “mover-blocker offense.”

Keep an eye on Layman. He works his way across the floor, even acting out a quick give-and-go from Lillard, before working a flare screen for an easy alley-oop. (The first clip of the video).

That mover-blocker play quickly became a staple during Layman’s playing time. He caught 28 alley-oops in 2018-19. Part of me believes this will be the way that the Blazers coax the most out of Derrick Jones Jr., especially as they await to see where his jumpshot is (27.8 percent on 126 jumpers last season).

The 23-year-old has excellent potential. But until it’s tapped into, Portland has an efficient hub of offense through his cutting ability.