Portland Trail Blazers have 16 eligible players, who gets the boot?

1. Patrick Patterson

Patrick Patterson gets the edge over the talented, but flawed youngsters here due to his experience and versatility. He’s a floor-spacing big who can guard power forwards and centers and can even step out against a few opposing threes.

Since the 2014-2015 season, he’s shot 37 percent from deep on three attempts per game. Adding his presence will pull rim protectors away from the paint, opening up the lane for Dame, Norman Powell, and the Blazers other slashers.

Not only will he stretch the floor at either big position, he’ll supply size while keeping the Blazers spacing in tact. 3-point shooting has never been an issue for Portland, but size, or lack thereof, became a huge area of concern when Norm became the starting small forward.

Not only does he have the requisite size to guard forwards, Patterson is strong and quick for his position and contains the mental fortitude to always be in the right place at the right time.

Here, he starts off the play helping on a Mo Bamba post-up, forcing the ball out of his hands. Then, while positioning himself between the rock and his man, Otto Porter Jr., Patterson commits to the drive at just the right time to swat away the attempt. While he’s lost a step, he still has the ability to slow down opponents in bursts.

At the least, he’ll provide the Blazers with additional depth at the forward spot which they’ll certainly need. With his ability to space the floor, defend three different positions at a high level, and the veteran experience he brings to the table, Patrick Patterson should be a shoo-in for the final roster.