The Portland Trail Blazers will enter the 2021 free agency period after another year of disappointments. They had serious injuries and an early playoff exit at the hands of a weakened Denver Nuggets team.
After the short-handed Nuggets took the Blazers out in six games, combined with the fact that they had the league’s 29th ranked defense, it means they need to upgrade their defense significantly. With a new coach on the way, now is the best time to add more defensive pieces.
Last year, they signed elite help defender Robert Covington and raw young help defender Derrick Jones Jr. Jones, in theory, is a good man defender, but his seeming lack of offense and the Blazers strong finish to the year meant Jones fell out of favor.
The Blazers need savvy, experienced defenders who can either play big roles or sit at the end of the rotation to play spot minutes for certain matchups.
Former players who know the systems and personnel could be a perfect fit for this team.
Here are 3 former Portland Trail Blazers to bring back in free agency
Former Blazer #1 – Maurice Harkless
Maurice Harkless is a six-foot-seven forward who is 28-years-old. Harkless was originally drafted in the first round by the Orlando Magic back in 2012, before the Blazers traded a second-round pick to bring him in.
Harkless played his best basketball for the Blazers, starting 172 games and being part of the famous Western Conference finals team.
Harkless’s strengths are his offensive rebounding and defense. With a massive seven-foot-two wingspan and strong 220-pound frame, he can match up with both forward positions.
He is athletic and moves well on switches if he gets caught out on the perimeter.
Harkless is a rare commodity defensively in the league, as a player who can force turnovers and block shots at a high rate.
Because of his lack of offense, and a three-point shot, Harkless is a liability on that end in certain lineups. But, in a 14 – 20 minute role per night, he could still add value to this roster.
Because of his strengths on defense and limitations on offense, Harkless could function in a small-ball lineup next to someone like Robert Covington. He would maybe function as the five, or put in on defensive assignments next to Jusuf Nurkic at the four.
Harkless got a $3.6 million deal in the 2021 season, and I could see him receiving something similar or around the veteran’s minimum this year. Harkless could be the type of bench defender that upgrades the Blazers bench significantly.