Portland Trail Blazers Veteran Minimum Free Agent Targets: Centers
1. Ed Davis
With Jusuf Nurkic already filling the starting spot, the Portland Trail Blazers need to target a defensive-minded big who can either space the floor or throw down lobs to come off the bench to relieve Nurk.
Ed Davis would be the latter. He can guard both fours and fives, is a solid positional defender, and is good on the boards. He would also have chemistry with Blazers veterans Nurkic, Damian Lillard, and CJ McCollum. It’s time that he returns to Rip City.
2. Frank Kaminsky
Frank Kaminsky was the single person most negatively affected by Dario Saric’s injury in the NBA Finals. Kaminsky had to fill-in for Saric’s minutes as the Phoenix Suns sole backup big. He was killed nearly every single second he was on the floor.
Kaminsky’s lack of lateral quickness and vertical leap makes him a liability on defense. Regardless, he won’t be worse as a backup big defender than Enes Kanter was for Portland last season. While he doesn’t provide the same impact on the boards that Kanter does, Kaminsky can space the floor and would give the Blazers the ability to play a five-out offense without sacrificing any size.
3. Bismack Biyombo
Like Ed Davis, Bismack Biyombo would provide solid defense and vertical spacing. Even though he’s lost a lot of spring in his legs, Biyombo is still a better shot blocker than Davis and everyone on the Blazers roster not named Jusuf Nurkic.
After wasting away with the Orlando Magic and Charlotte Hornets on two overpaid contracts, he should be ready to play for a competitive team again. Signing a defensive force like Biyombo who can also vertically space the floor on a minimum deal would be an absolute burglary for the Portland Trail Blazers.