The Portland Trail Blazers are in a critical phase of team building as they aim to construct a roster that complements their superstar, Damian Lillard, and positions them as legitimate contenders. With various needs to address, the Blazers must carefully consider their options in the free agency market.
In this article, we analyze several high-profile free agents who may not be the ideal fit for the Blazers’ aspirations and explain the reasons behind their exclusion from consideration.
Important note: another guard is the last thing the Blazers need, and this offseason’s free agent class is top-heavy with some high-profile ones, a few of which will be discussed in this post.
Kyrie Irving: Highly skilled, highly controversial
Kyrie Irving’s on-court skills are undoubtedly impressive, as he is a gifted scorer and ball-handler.
However, his off-court behavior and controversial viewpoints, including recent controversies involving antisemitism, pose significant concerns for both the team and the city of Portland.
The Blazers, who pride themselves on their inclusive and community-oriented culture, would likely find it challenging to embrace a player with such divisive beliefs.
Moreover, Irving’s preference for having the ball in his hands may limit Lillard’s effectiveness as a playmaker and leader on the court.