Trail Blazers Linked To Austin Rivers

The Portland Trail Blazers have been linked with Los Angeles Clippers reserve guard Austin Rivers, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical.

UPDATE (11:05 AM): Brad Turner of the Los Angeles Times is reporting that Rivers has a meeting set with the Blazers.

Austin Rivers has meetings set with New York and Portland, per source.

— Brad Turner (@BA_Turner) July 1, 2016

Moments after free agency began, Woj reported that Austin Rivers met with Clippers officials Thursday night and is expected to meet with the Knicks and "possibly" the Blazers.

Sources: Clippers officials met with Austin Rivers Thursday in Orlando, and Rivers is expected to talk with Knicks, possibly Portland Friday

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojVerticalNBA) July 1, 2016

Rivers, 23, had a career-year last season in his first full season playing under his father, Doc, who coaches the team and is in charge of Basketball Operations. He played 67 games and had a career-best 52.3 true-shooting percentage. His 3-point rate increased considerably with the Clippers, taking 36 percent of his field goal attempts from long-range.

He showed toughness in the playoffs, starting in Chris Paul's stead. He had a memorable game in Game 6, when the Clippers were eliminated, playing with a bloody bandage after taking an elbow from Al-Farouq Aminu. No hard feelings when you're getting paid, I suppose.

Rivers averaged 10.3 points and 2.7 assists in the playoffs. As far as what he brings to the Blazers, he would give them added depth at the guard position and has shown the ability to play back-up point guard. The Blazers have use for a third point guard with Brian Roberts likely walking in free-agency, but Rivers 6-4, 200 pound frame gives him more versatility to guard multiple positions.