Great teams are built on a foundation of star power. But they often remain standing strong thanks to guys who were found on the scrap heap of the NBA; former top prospects, undrafted free agents, low-risk signings who immediately outperform their contracts which often aren't fully guaranteed. Can Blake Wesley be that guy for the Blazers?
Signed on a minimum deal this offseason after never getting his feet under him in San Antonio, the 22 year-old guard was never a shoo-in to make the roster, but his first week with the Blazers (which includes 6 steals and 11 assists in three games) quickly has fans thinking they may have found a diamond in the rough. Wesley is a non-stop energizer
Portland isn't usually a free agency hot spot (it should be, for the record, as Portland is one of the best cities in the country and don't be propagandized into believing otherwise) so finding guys on the outer edges of the league and turning them into legitimate role players will be an important hurdle to clear. They haven't really done that in recent years, but maybe a breakout from Wesley could turn the tide.
Blake Wesley is the kind of prospect great teams "hit" on
I hate to sound like a broken record, but... Look at the Thunder! They have the league MVP plus two other star-level players, but their championship run (and inevitable dynasty that has now begun in earnest) was made possible in large part because of Sam Presti's propensity for finding talent where no other team even bothered to look.
Isaiah Joe, Jaylin Williams, Kenrich Williams, Lu Dort, Aaron Wiggins, and now (apparently) Ajay Mitchell were all borderline NBA prospects who the team developed into key rotational pieces.
I don't expect the Blazers to turn into the role player farm system machine the Thunder are — but when you play in a small market, these are the kind of moves you need to hit on. Portland hasn't really done that; Dalanto Banton had some nice moments, and acquiring Toumani Camara (the No. 52 overall pick) was a franchise-altering move. But consistently finding success on reclamation projects is what keeps small-market competitive, and the Blazers need to find that consistency.
Even if Wesley doesn't end up being a regular rotation player this season, or his role fades when Scoot Henderson returns from injury, I like the intent behind the signing and I like that he's getting real minutes early on in the season. Why sign a guy — who's still essentially an unknown — and not play him? Giving him a chance early shows him the team believes in what he brings, and it will show the team exactly what that is. Win-win.
For a team like the Blazers, who are a few years into a rebuild (but still rebuilding), October and November should be used as testing grounds. Throw everything at the wall, and then roll with whatever sticks. That's what they're doing with Wesley right now and he seems intent on sticking. Everyone he's defended in the first three games can vouch for that.