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Portland Trail Blazers: 5 backup big men to sign in Free Agency

By Stevie Cozens

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 22: Jeff Green #8 of the Brooklyn Nets in action against the Boston Celtics in Game One of the First Round of the 2021 NBA Playoffs at Barclays Center at Barclays Center on May 22, 2021 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Steven Ryan/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 22: Jeff Green #8 of the Brooklyn Nets in action against the Boston Celtics in Game One of the First Round of the 2021 NBA Playoffs at Barclays Center at Barclays Center on May 22, 2021 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Steven Ryan/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Steven Ryan/Getty Images)
(Photo by Steven Ryan/Getty Images) /

Portland Trail Blazers back up big man option two – Jeff Green

Jeff Green of the Brooklyn Nets is the ultimate veteran’s minimum signing. Few players can fit the modern small ball big prototype on a $2 million salary like Green can.

Green is the do-it-all guy you can count on to fill in as a power forward or center in both the regular season and the playoffs.

Green actually had one of the most efficient seasons of his career on the Nets, starting more games for one team than he had since his days in Boston back in 2013/14. He shot an excellent 62 percent true shooting on 12 points a game in this regular season.

Though he has never been a great shooter, Green has shot 36.1 percent from distance over his last three stops, on a good volume of four attempts a game.

At six-foot-eight with a seven-foot-one wingspan and weighing in at 235 pounds, he is strong enough to guard some fives, while still quick enough to guard some fours. Green is also still only 34, and with his experience on a multitude of NBA teams that include a finals trip with LeBron James in 2018, he would fit right in on a team like the Blazers.

There’s a chance that he would want more than the veterans minimum, but I would be comfortable giving him the Bi-Annual exception amount of around $4 million.

It’s been a little while since the Blazers had a true backup four / five that stretched the floor as well as playing defense. In Green, they would have a guy that could do both, while also coming cheap.