Portland Trail Blazers: Best 3 players to target with the MLE in free agency

The Trail Blazers could add skeleton key Jeff Green in free agency

It was a longtime coming, but Jeff Green has finally cashed in on all that potential versatility that made him such a tantalizing prospect over a decade ago.

Green has somehow gone from the face of the daunting “tweener” label to one of the most important pieces on the Eastern Conference favorite Brooklyn Nets.

For all the star power on the Nets roster, what’s made them so deadly this postseason is the surprising effectiveness of their role players. For Brooklyn this year, Green has played the roles of floor-spacer, rim-runner, small-ball big, perimeter defender, and all-around glue guy.

He’s the piece that can unlock any lineup that the Nets may have to play to matchup with their opponents.

This season, Green is averaging 14.7 points and 5.2 rebounds per 36-minutes while playing mostly center. He’s had one of the most efficient seasons of his career at 49 percent from the floor and 41 percent from deep, the top mark he’s had in the NBA.

Adding Green’s versatility would be adding a Robert Covington-lite to the Blazers roster. He can be slotted next to any four other players and fill any role asked of him. Most importantly, he would arrive in Portland the best defender not named Covington.

Anytime you can add a wing who can slide over and defend the rim like this and hit over 40 percent of his triples, you should jump at the chance.

This season, Green joined the Nets on a veteran minimum’s deal worth roughly $2.5 million. The Blazers should be more than willing to double that money to bring his services to Rip City.