What Will Happen With Jake Layman’s Upcoming Free Agency?

Jake Layman has proved himself as a breakout player for the Portland Trail Blazers, providing a spark at the forward spot that was surely needed. With the season coming to a close, NBA Free Agency is on the horizon, and Layman’s future with Portland is up in the air. Assuming the Blazers make Layman a restricted free agent by extending him a qualifying offer, Adam Fromal of Bleacher Report ponders how Portland will handle Layman’s contract:

Considering they have the ability to exercise the rights of first refusal, the Portland Trail Blazers might want to sit back and wait to see what type of offer they must match to retain Jake Layman’s services. The 24-year-old’s season-long numbers don’t accurately showcase either his growth during the campaign or his newfound importance to the Rip City outfit.

However, Fromal concludes that Layman isn’t one the Blazers should let get away:

Retaining Layman might get a bit pricey if other teams realize how versatile and valuable his burgeoning skill set has become. But Rip City still shouldn’t get sticker shock. He’s worth bringing back at a much higher price.

Layman is averaging 8.0 points on 53.6 percent shooting from the field this season. His minutes per game have risen from 4.6 last year to 18.5 this year.

Do you think Layman comes back to Portland next season? What kind of contract could he command? Let us know in the comments.