The team needs re-enforcements
As a reminder, Anthony 251st in the league among 273 qualified players in 2P%. A not so amusing fact is that Anfernee Simons, Robert Covington, and Rodney Hood all rank below him.
The fact that the team has four of the league’s worst two-point shooters is beyond troubling, especially when you consider they’re all supposed to contribute to the team.
It’s clear the team needs reinforcements but what isn’t clear is why they haven’t yet.
The Blazers are 17 games into the season, and yet they still have an open roster spot. While there is a good reason for that, no reason is good enough not to address the team’s lack of depth.
If the team were fully healthy and every player was playing like themselves, this likely wouldn’t be an issue, but that’s not the reality we live in. There are holes at every position in one form or fashion.
The team needs a perimeter defender and/or another consistent shooter in a bad way.
It’s rather difficult for the team to make a trade between Zach Collins’ injury and the fact that Rodney Hood cannot be traded until after February 18th.
Between the open roster spot and the team’s trade difficulty, the obvious choice is free agency. There are some options: Isaiah Thomas, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, and Dewayne Dedmon, to name a few.
Yes, entering the luxury tax for a consecutive season is something to think about, but when healthy, this team has the ability to contend. One or two additions, and this team could make some noise in the playoffs, but if they stay pat, they risk losing so many games that the team could end up in the play-in tournament.