The Portland Trail Blazers, whether they like it or not, will have to embrace the youth movement sooner than later. But at the very least, even with longtime franchise star Damian Lillard having one foot out the door, the team will be starting from an enviable position, as they will have the likes of Scoot Henderson, Anfernee Simons, and Shaedon Sharpe to lead the way not to mention all the assets they'll be receiving from the inevitable Lillard blockbuster.
But at the moment, the Blazers still have two roster spots to fill, along with one more two-way slot to use should they choose to. It makes sense that the team is keeping a few roster spots open so they could absorb a few players in the event of a Lillard trade. Even then, it never hurts to have an insurance policy — especially at a position the team could be in need of later on in the year.
To that end, it'll be interesting to see if the Blazers decide to use one roster spot in trying to unearth a diamond in the rough from their Summer League team. They should be on the lookout anyway for players who could become quality contributors, especially when they're not expecting to compete for a playoff spot in the imminent future.
But who among the members of their roster in Vegas deserves a shot to latch onto the main roster? Here is the one undrafted Summer League player whom the Blazers must give a chance to for the 2023-24 season.
Undrafted Blazers Summer League player who could make 2023-24 roster: Michael Devoe
Just how much stock can we truly give players' performances during Summer League? For most teams, their stint in Vegas only lasts five games, and some don't even play all of those contests. But one player performed above and beyond what was expected of him that it may not be the best idea for the Blazers to let him get away, and that player is Michael Devoe.
Devoe went undrafted during the 2022 NBA Draft after four years in Georgia Tech. The 6'5 guard emerged for the Yellow Jackets in his sophomore season, upping his scoring and efficiency considerably although he didn't exactly add too much to his game in his final two seasons in college.
In fact, Devoe's shooting efficiency went down, perhaps due to the increased defensive attention he drew. There was a reason why he went undrafted even though he was one of the Yellow Jackets' leading scorers. He wasn't too much of an asset on defense, and his volume scoring ways may not seamlessly translate to the NBA level.
Moreover, Michael Devoe did not have the most fruitful stint with the Ontario Clippers in the G-League last season. He scored just around six points per game on 28.3 percent shooting from deep in 29 games, which is a far cry from what NBA teams will be expecting from anyone they think can become a contributor for the team down the line.
But with the Blazers, it seems like Devoe is reaching a new level. In four games in Vegas, Devoe averaged 18.8 points per game on some torrid shooting splits, Devoe made 11 of his 17 attempts from three, and he went 53.2 percent from the field overall, which is definitely an outlier based off his previous level of play. But at 23 years old, it's certainly a possibility that his game has just reached another level.
At 6'5, Devoe will have to be more than just a standstill shooter for him to earn his bread in the NBA. And to his credit, he seems to have expanded his game considerably during Summer League. He was using feints to get separation from his defenders, and he was draining triples while grinding to a quickstop off of movement, capitalizing off of handoffs in the process.
The 23-year old guard also flashed some nifty moves when finishing at the basket, evading defenders by contorting his body and using his deft touch to make some floaters. He was also doing some of his work off the bounce, using clever changes in pace along with hesitation moves to freeze defenders and get to his comfort spots on the court.
Adding another guard may not be an urgent business matter for the Blazers. But with two centers on the team under two-way deals, it may be a smart move for the team to diversify their portfolio, especially when the investment will be made towards a player who clearly impressed during the team's stint in Vegas.
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