Around the NBA: Five Bold Free Agency Predictions
By Drew Albee
Prediction #1: The Portland Trail Blazers will make a serious run at Dwight Howard
Since he arrived in Portland in 2012, President of Basketball Operations, Neil Olshey, has made a series of sneaky-good, under-the-radar moves that have kept the Trail Blazers competitive. Last summer when LaMarcus Aldridge and Wesley Matthews bolted in free agency, Olshey signed Al-Farouq Aminu and Ed Davis in their place and the Blazers still finished fifth in the challenging Western Conference.
The competitive nature of the conference may force Olshey and the Blazers to be aggressive this offseason in order to maintain their status among the top teams in the West. Joe Freeman of the Oregonian says to expect the unexpected from Portland during free agency.
The Blazers have a pair of stellar young guards in Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum and appear to be a team on the rise. They have about $40 million to spend and could use rim protection and shooting from the wing.
After last season’s surprising run to the Western Conference semifinals, the Blazers have momentum behind them, and I predict they turn that momentum into a high-profile signing.
Signing Howard would give the Blazers rim protection from the center position, and Howard would be able to anchor the Portland defense right away. Howard has earned a poor reputation in terms of attitude over the last few seasons — and deservedly so — but he is still one of the premiere defensive centers in the league. Last year, Howard averaged 11.8 rebounds, 1.6 blocks and one steal per game all while playing like he didn’t really care.
I think a change of scenery could do D-12 some good and I believe he would enjoy playing with the unselfish Lillard much more than he did playing with James Harden. There’s a dearth of quality big men on the open market, so Howard to Portland makes sense to me given Howard’s skills as a rim protector and viable pick-and-roll option.
Next: Prediction #2