clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Quick: Blazers Get B- Grade, "Could Have Done Better" Than Robin Lopez

Jason Quick of The Oregonian offers his assessment of the Portland Trail Blazers' 2013 offseason.

USA TODAY Sports

In an interview with Kevin Rashidi and Hasan Alanam of Canada.com, Jason Quick of The Oregonian offers his thoughts on the Portland Trail Blazers' 2013 offseason.

Q: What is your grade for Portland's off-season so far? Do you think they are done or are you expecting another move or two to happen?

A: I would give them a B-, although I think they might have one move left, perhaps signing a free agent center with their $2.6 million room exception (someone along the lines of Ronny Turiaf, Greg Stiemsma, Cole Aldrich or Johan Petro).

So far they have absorbed the contract of Robin Lopez in a trade, signed Dorell Wright, signed Earl Watson and drafted CJ McCollum and Allen Crabbe.

Those are not the sexiest moves around the league, and none of those players "moves the needle" as general manager Neil Olshey had set out to do. But none of the moves are long term, none of them break the bank, and McCollum appears to have the makeup and reputation as a guy who can contribute right away.

My biggest beef is with the Lopez move. The Blazers last season were killed inside on defense, and their big goal was to sign a rim-protector. No question Lopez is an improvement over JJ Hickson, but I thought with $11.6 million in cap room they could have done better. I think Lopez is slow, limited and has had health issues. But he's only 25 and did play 82 games last year. So, we will see. Just thought they could have done better.

Quick also predicts that Damian Lillard will be an All-Star in 2013-14.

-- Ben Golliver | benjamin.golliver@gmail.com | Twitter