Portland Trail Blazers: Checking in with the G League players

Wade Baldwin IV

The Portland Trail Blazers picked up guard Wade Baldwin IV after he was released by the Memphis Grizzlies.

The Blazers signed Baldwin to a two-way contract and planned to send him to the G League right away, but Baldwin tore a ligament in his thumb and had to undergo surgery. After rehabbing his thumb, Baldwin was assigned to the Texas Legends. This is Baldwin’s second round in the G League.

Out of the University of Vanderbilt where he played one season, Baldwin was selected 17th overall by the Memphis Grizzlies in the 2016 NBA Draft. A 6’4″, 200-pound guard, he averaged 3.2 points, 1.8 assists, 1.4 rebounds and 0.5 steals per game. He played in 33 games and played about 12 minutes a night. The Grizzlies assigned him to the Iowa Energy in the G League. There he averaged 12.9 points, 5.3 assists, 4.3 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game. He played in 33 games and played 28 minutes a game.

Now with the Blazers and Texas Legends. Baldwin has been playing well this season in the G League. He is averaging 19.6 points, 4.6 assists, 4.7 rebounds and 2.0 steals per game. So far this season he has played in seven games and started six for the Legends.

Here, Baldwin scores a career-high 32 points. He shows he’s capable of knocking down the mid-range jumper, creating open shots and getting to the rim. Baldwin also has a pretty explosive drunk in addition to five assists and six steals.

Here, Wade scores 26 points, dishes seven assists and grabs seven rebounds. He scores in the pick-and-roll and shows he can shoot off a screen. Baldwin makes plays on defense that turn into easy offense for him.

The second-year guard has looked very aggressive on defense and getting to the rim. He uses his big strong body well to finish at the rim and bang around with bigger guys. He could be a player the Blazers need at some point during the season.

Wade doesn’t need to take a bunch shots for the Blazers; just bring energy off the bench, play aggressive defense and smart offense. He is listed as a point guard, could defend the others teams’ point guards and let C.J. McCollum, Damian Lillard and Shabazz Napier play off ball.

Baldwin hasn’t shot the ball from 3 in the G League very well, converting just 27 percent of his looks between this season and last. He has a good looking shot and did shoot 43 percent his one season in college. The tools are there to be a decent shooter in the NBA, and he needs to shoot better if he wants to stick around. Playing alongside Napier, McCollum, Lillard and Jusuf Nurkic, he would get plenty of open shots. Baldwin could develop into a nice 3-and-D guard for the Blazers.

His next game with the Texas Legends is Saturday, Jan. 6 against the Iowa Wolves.