Portland Trail Blazers: 5 keys to winning season opener vs. Phoenix Suns

4. Turner needs to earn that contract

Evan Turner is only in the second year of his four-year, $70 million contract, and he has yet to prove why exactly he was worth that kind of money. This season, he’s set to make roughly $17.1 million coming off the bench for the Portland Trail Blazers.

I’m of the belief that Turner was misused last year. I think the team is taking the steps in the right direction by figuring out how to make better use of his abilities as the primary ball-handler in the second unit.

However, he has yet to inspire confidence in his new role, and that’s exactly what he needs to do this season, starting with this game against the Phoenix Suns. With one of Portland’s main playmakers unable to play, the pressure falls on Turner to produce in his absence.

Turner has all the tools to be a strong sixth man; he just needs to find a way to put it all together.