Is this the best team the Portland Trail Blazers ever assembled around Damian Lillard? That might be a bold statement given Lillard played with LaMarcus Aldridge and reached the Western Conference Finals with CJ McCollum, but the Blazers are aggressively retooling around Lillard and hoping to become a legitimate contender. The team acquired Jerami Grant in a trade with the Detroit Pistons, selected Shaedon Sharpe in the 2022 NBA Draft and made some key free agent signings this month.
With Lillard also signing a massive $122 million extension, it seems like the guard and Portland believe they can do something special in the next couple of years.
With that said, here are the grades for Portland’s most important free agent moves so far.
*Watch NBA Games LIVE with fuboTV (click for free trial)*
Portland Trail Blazers 2022 NBA Free Agency Grades
Jusuf Nurkić: B+
The Trail Blazers were able to keep one of their central pieces by re-signing Jusuf Nurkić to a four-year, $70 million deal. The Bosnian Beast was one of the best centers in free agency this year, so the Blazers decided it was best to bring back someone who already knows the system and has chemistry with the team’s star in Lillard.
Nurkić averaged 15.0 points, a career-high 11.1 rebounds and 1.1 steals in 56 contests last season, being a key piece on Portland’s paint. However, he was ruled out of the season in late March due to an injury to his left foot.
After some injury-plagued seasons, Portland showed its love and confidence in Nurkić with this deal, but the big man will have to prove his signing goes beyond his presence in the locker room. Should he play like he used to do, this was a great deal, but if the injury bug attacks again, Portland might have to look around for other possibilities.
Gary Payton II: A+
The Blazers signing Gary Payton II could be one of the best deals of this offseason. Payton played a very important defensive role in the 2022 NBA Finals and earned his first championship ring with the Golden State Warriors.
Payton averaged 7.1 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game in the regular season, all career bests. He also shot 61.6% from the field and 35.8% on 3-pointers.
A journeyman, having played on more than 10 teams including the G League, Payton joins the team on a bargain three-year, $28 million deal. His resilience and heart could be X-factors every night, both in the locker room and on the court. Plus, his championship experience could help in guiding the young pieces of the squad, or even some of the veterans.
Portland also managed to keep another central piece of its future by re-signing Anfernee Simons to a four-year, $100 million contract.
The guard, who just turned 23 years old last month, averaged career highs of 17.3 points and 29.5 minutes in 57 games, starting 30 of them. Simons also showed he can take over the team after CJ McCollum was traded and Lillard went down with an abdominal injury.
Simons has shown he is more than capable of being Lillard’s partner in the backcourt, and the Blazers seem to believe that as well. This new contract, along with Lillard’s extension, secures what could be one of the most lethal offensive duos in the league.
Overall, the Blazers have enjoyed possibly one of the best offseasons in the NBA this year. Not only did they keep their most important veterans, but they were able to snag defensive cornerstones on a bargain signing and a trade. Should Lillard and Nurkić stay healthy and the new guys perform as expected, Portland could have a real shot in going far in the playoffs in 2023.
Follow Us
Subscribe