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Portland Trail Blazers: 2016 Offseason Grades

By Gerald Bourguet

Mar 31, 2016; Portland, OR, USA; Boston Celtics guard Evan Turner (11) shoots the ball past Portland Trail Blazers guard C.J. McCollum (3) during the fourth quarter at the Moda Center at the Rose Quarter. The Trail Blazers won 116-109. Mandatory Credit: Steve Dykes-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 31, 2016; Portland, OR, USA; Boston Celtics guard Evan Turner (11) shoots the ball past Portland Trail Blazers guard C.J. McCollum (3) during the fourth quarter at the Moda Center at the Rose Quarter. The Trail Blazers won 116-109. Mandatory Credit: Steve Dykes-USA TODAY Sports /
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May 11, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors center Festus Ezeli (31) goes up for a rebound against the Portland Trail Blazers during game five of the second round of the NBA Playoffs at Oracle Arena. The Warriors defeated the Trail Blazers 125-121. Mandatory Credit: John G. Mabanglo-Pool Photo via USA TODAY Sports /

Ezeli Portland’s Best Move

Evan Turner was easily Portland’s most inadvisable move, but signing Festus Ezeli to a two-year, $17.4 million deal was ezeli their most cost-effective.

In the 2016 NBA Finals (or, more accurately, the 2016 NBA Playoffs), Ezeli cost himself quite a bit of money with his underwhelming play. As he was coming back from injury, the dip in his regular season numbers — 7.0 PPG, 5.6 RPG and 1.1 BPG dropped to 4.0 PPG, 2.7 RPG and 0.3 BPG — wound up damaging his free agency value.

Though he’s only 26 years old, none of Ezeli’s physical attributes has ever been put to their best use, whether due to recurring injuries or the presence of Andrew Bogut and Draymond Green, who soaked up the majority of Golden State’s available minutes at the 5.

But with the Warriors going all-in on Kevin Durant, Ezeli had to be renounced and became an unrestricted free agent. Portland was able to pry him from the market, and did so with a deal WAYYYY below his true value.

After all, Ezeli looked the part of “NBA starting center” before he got injured last year, averaging 7.8 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game in 13 starts for an injured Bogut.

Mason Plumlee and/or Meyers Leonard might not be the answer at center, so having a high-upside player like Ezeli will pay dividends no matter what. Best-case scenario, Portland has a long-term solution at the 5 and he discovers his immense potential. Worst-case (non-injury) scenario, he protects the rim off the bench and Portland’s minor contract runs its course in two years.

Grade: A-

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