Portland Trail Blazers: 5 potential free agency targets in 2018

1. Wayne Ellington

• Height: 6’4”
• Weight: 200 pounds
• Position: SG
• Age: 30
• Last played for the Miami Heat

Wayne Ellington has played nine seasons in the NBA and has been on eight different teams. After playing with the Miami Heat the last two seasons, he is hitting free agency as an unrestricted free agent.

Ellington is one of the best snipers in the NBA and is coming off arguably his best season in the league. He can create his own shot, shoot coming off screens and doesn’t need to get his feet set to get his shot off. He has a quick jumper with deep range. Ellington is a high-IQ player, mature and knows his role as a spark plug shooter.

Last season for the Heat, Ellington averaged 11.2 points, 2.8 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 0.7 steals in 26.5 minutes per game while shooting 40.7 percent from the field and 39.2 percent from the 3-point line. He is a career 85.1 percent shooter from the free throw line and 38.1 percent shooter from the 3-point line.

Fit for the Blazers

Wayne Ellington would be a perfect fit for the Blazers and their MLE. This team is lacking a third shooter behind Lillard and McCollum, and he would fill that need. Ellington could come in and be the deadly shooter off the bench this roster needs. Portland needs a guy it can have hanging around the 3-point line that defenses have to pay attention to. It had a guy like that In Allen Crabbe, but wwas forced to move him due to cap space concerns.

At 6’4” Ellington is a decent defender on the wing and has no issue handling the ball or creating offense. He would be able to play both shooting guard and even some small forward next to Lillard and McCollum. Imagine a shooting lineup of Lillard, McCollum, Ellington, Aminu and Collins. He could play in a variety of different lineups for Portland and would see massive improvement off the bench.

Teams going against the Blazers were letting other guys on this team shoot because they did not fear them. Ellington is a guy teams will worry about and will not be able to let the guy defending him play any help defense. He would be an excellent role player for Portland and a guy who could see some valuable fourth quarter minutes.

Next: 2018 NBA free agency tracker: Grades for every deal so far

The Blazers need shooters, and Wayne Ellington may be the best shooter in this free agency class. Paying $8.6 million might be right around his going range this summer. If the Blazers are going to add anyone else this summer, Wayne Ellington should be the guy.