The Portland Trail Blazers added a hidden gem to their roster this summer in the form of guard Blake Wesley. He's already playing well enough for head coach Chauncey Billups to consider making him a key part of the bench rotation.
Wesley was a standout performer in Portland's first preseason game against the Golden State Warriors, finishing with nine points, six rebounds, two assists, and two steals in just 20 minutes. He's not only justifying general manager Joe Cronin's decision to add him as the final roster spot, he's also giving Blazers fans hope that their backcourt depth won't be in shambles while Scoot Henderson is sidelined.
Blake Wesley deserves rotation minutes in Portland's shallow backcourt
Henderson is expected to miss the start of the season after suffering a left hamstring tear, and could be out for up to 20 games, which is the end range of the four-to-eight-week recovery timeline he was given. Wesley is making a strong case to see immediate minutes in the rotation as soon as Portland's first regular-season game against the Minnesota Timberwolves on October 22.
Admittedly, there are some concerns regarding how Wesley will fit on the offensive end as he's not a traditional point guard. But the silver lining is that the Blazers' roster is well-equipped to compensate for any limitations Wesley has on that end.
Down the stretch of last season, Deni Avdija embraced a point forward role in Portland and took on an increased role as a primary offensive initiator. Shaedon Sharpe has received praise for his development this summer, and supported those reviews with his stellar play in his first preseason game. Jrue Holiday isn't the player he once was, but he is also still capable of being a serviceable table setter in limited stretches.
The point is, Portland's roster has playmakers at multiple positions. They don't need Wesley to play beyond his means or take on any role he's not comfortable with on the offensive end. The reason Portland added him and should consider immediately playing him is on the defensive side of things.
He's a perfect fit for the gritty, defensive-minded team that both Billups and Cronin have emphasized throughout Portland's rebuild. In his first game, Wesley was already picking up the Warriors' guards the length of the court, just making life that much harder for them. With his speed, quick hands, and defensive instincts, Wesley will fit in perfectly with what Billups is hoping to accomplish in building an elite defense.
He's the type of role player every team hopes to have as someone who impacts winning without requiring the ball (the anti-Dalano Banton, if you will). Wesley still has plenty of room to grow at just 22 years old, but he's already proving that he's capable of holding the fort down for Portland's thin backcourt -- at least until Scoot returns.