After only a couple of seasons with both LaMarcus Aldridge and Damian Lillard leading the way in a loaded Western Conference, the Portland Trail Blazers have been forced to deal with the harsh reality of being a small market team with big-name free agents that would rather sign somewhere else.
Aldridge will not be back in Portland next season, Wesley Mathews is walking and Robin Lopez appears to have moved on as well (with the New York Knicks). That leaves the Trail Blazers in a tough situation as they attempt to do some damage control, which is a process they’ve already begun. While maxing out Lillard is the move that took headlines, the under-the-radar decision to trade for Mason Plumlee could be the real turning point for the Blazers.
They Didn’t Give up Much And He Doesn’t Cost Much
The Blazers acquired Plumlee and rookie Pat Connaughton for Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and Steve Blake. In other words, the Blazers acquired Plumlee to give the Nets the right to trade up 18 spots (Connaughton was the 41st pick in the 2015 NBA Draft). All things considered, that’s pretty cheap. Scouting reports on Hollis-Jefferson are all over the place but it looks like his ceiling is that he could turn out to be a good role player.
That’s not anything that’s going to move the needle for the Blazers. His mid-range shooting and his perimeter accuracy are pretty bad right now. Could that change down the line? Sure. But right now, we know Plumlee can be an excellent big man off the bench and can probably start. Hollis-Jefferson is a big maybe.
The other factor here is that Plumlee comes at the right price. Portland needs young players who can contribute and they can control – especially since they might be watching a star walk out the door this summer. Plumlee is still on his rookie deal, which means he’ll make a measly $1.4 million this season before his team option at $2.3 million next season and his qualifying offer for $3.3 million in 2017-18. That’s great value.
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Immediate Big Man Help
Plumlee is never going to be a franchise player who carries a team on his back but he’s one who can help a team get closer to a championship. He did show some positive signs early on last season for the Brooklyn Nets when he was getting more playing time. Plumlee averaged 10.3 points, 7.0 rebounds and 1.0 blocks in just over 23 minutes per game in 52 appearances before the All-Star break but his production dipped dramatically in the second half as he wasn’t getting the same minutes. Plumlee is 25 years old, which isn’t young but he has shown that given a bigger role, he might be able to best his averages. In January, he saw 28 minutes of action and delivered 13.5 points per game with 7.3 rebounds, 1.1 blocks and 0.9 assists while shooting 69% from the field. Will that replace Aldridge? No. But he has shown that he can more than likely be a capable starting power forward. That’s something the Blazers can work with.
Aldridge Isn’t Gone Yet
Yes, it does look like he’s moving on but remember, the Trail Blazers still hold his Larry Bird rights. That means they can pay him an extra $30 million or so and lock him up one year longer than any other team. Sure, he’s playing the field right now with the San Antonio Spurs, Houston Rockets and Phoenix Suns all interested but Portland is a team that’s close to being a championship contender. It’s still possible he comes back. If so, then the Plumlee is still a great pickup. In that scenario, this is a team that would be ready to contend right now, so why wait on another first-round pick to develop when Plumlee has already shown he can be a key piece right now. That makes this a shrewd move regardless of Aldridge’s decision.
