NBA Free Agency 2011: 6 Big Men Who Can Complete the Portland Trail Blazers

The Portland Trail Blazers are finally looking like a team ready to make a push for a NBA Championship.

With a great core set of guys in Raymond Felton, Wesley Matthews, Gerald Wallace, LaMarcus Aldridge and Greg Oden, and with Brandon Roy, Nicolas Batum and Marcus Camby coming off the bench, the Blazers did an excellent job drafting young talent in Jon Diebler and Nolan Smith to complement their team.

They still, however, must address the one gaping hole in their rotation, which is a power forward to back up L.A. With a free agency class stacked with undercover potential, there are six big men who stand out as prime candidates for a Portland Trail Blazers position.

Yi Jianlian

Yi Jianlian would be a very solid pickup for the Portland Trail Blazers during the offseason.

Jianlian would give the Blazers something they haven't had since the Detlef Schrempf days, which is a big man who can effectively spread the floor to the three-point line. He shot miserably from downtown last season, but a shooter never loses his stroke, and Yi would be able to knock three's down on a consistent basis. 

At four rebounds per game, Jianlian isn't the greatest at crashing the boards, but his seven-foot frame would allow a tall body to help change shots around the rim.

Rotation with Jianlian:

• Raymond Felton-Jon Diebler-Patty Mills
• Wes Matthews-Brandon Roy-Jon Diebler
• Gerald Wallace-Nicolas Batum
• LaMarcus Aldridge-Yi Jianlian
• Greg Oden-Marcus Camby

Josh McRoberts

Josh McRoberts was one of the unsung heroes of the Indiana Pacers' playoff push last season. His numbers were nowhere near flashy, but McRoberts helped spread the floor and gave a small but helpful scoring punch off the bench.

Seven points and five rebounds is all that the stat sheet will tell you, but McRoberts is one of those glue guys every team needs on their bench. He brings energy and intensity, like a poor man's Joakim Noah, to the floor and can knock down the occasional three-pointer if left unguarded. 

He isn't a great defender, nor is he capable of creating his own shot, but McRoberts can play within the flow of an offense and find his niche on the court. It wouldn't be a picture-perfect pickup, but the Blazers desperately need someone to take some of the load off LaMarcus Aldridge, who averaged 39 minutes per game last season (the third highest in the league).

Rotation with McRoberts:

• Raymond Felton-Jon Diebler-Patty Mills
• Wes Matthews-Brandon Roy-Jon Diebler
• Gerald Wallace-Nicolas Batum
• LaMarcus Aldridge-Josh McRoberts
• Greg Oden-Marcus Camby

Reggie Evans

Reggie Evans would be another solid pickup in the market for the Blazers.

As a member of the Toronto Raptors, Evans averaged 11.5 rebounds per game, using his 245-pound body to bang down low and crash the boards. He isn't a great scorer, nor is he a great shot-blocker, but Evans would be able to put in some quality minutes off the bench to give LaMarcus Aldridge a well-deserved rest.

Rotation with Evans:

• Raymond Felton-Jon Diebler-Patty Mills
• Wes Matthews-Brandon Roy-Jon Diebler
• Gerald Wallace-Nicolas Batum
• LaMarcus Aldridge-Reggie Evans
• Greg Oden-Marcus Camby

Kris Humphries (Kardashian)

Kris Humphries' engagement to Kim Kardashian proves just how dynamic of a rebounder he is.

Humphries ranked fifth in the NBA in rebounding, behind names such as Blake Griffin, Zach Randolph, Dwight Howard and Kevin Love, with 10.4 rebounds per game. Brook Lopez may have absorbed much of the spotlight, but Humphries was way more consistent, putting up a double-double almost every night; as a matter of fact, he averaged 10 and 10 last season.

Another aspect to Humphries' game is his shot-changing ability. He may have only averaged 1.1 blocks per game, but it was his presence that threw defenders off when attacking the basket. He's not Dwight Howard, not even close, but he's got a force that can throw some of the better scorers in the league off their game.

Humphries is the ideal pick for the Blazers. He may not have the greatest back-to-the-basket arsenal, but he's got a working 10-15-foot jumper, and he's a superior rebounder in the NBA

Rotation with Humphries:

• Raymond Felton-Jon Diebler-Patty Mills
• Wes Matthews-Brandon Roy-Jon Diebler
• Gerald Wallace-Nicolas Batum
• LaMarcus Aldridge-Kris Humphries
• Greg Oden-Marcus Camby

Joel Przybilla

If Joel Przybilla can finally remain healthy, the Portland Trail Blazers would love to have him back in red and black.

In his best, healthiest moments, Przybilla was an elite shot-blocker and an above-average rebounder. Between 2007 and 2009 (what could be considered his prime since he only missed five games in those two seasons), he averaged 8.6 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in only 23 minutes on the court.

But of course, Przybilla never learned the safe way to take showers and re-injured his patella in the privacy of his own bathroom. If he can shake off the misfortunes and stay healthy for just a few seasons, the Vanilla Gorilla could find himself back in Portland for a few more stints in a Blazers jersey.

Rotation with Przybilla:

• Raymond Felton-Jon Diebler-Patty Mills
• Wes Matthews-Brandon Roy-Jon Diebler
• Gerald Wallace-Nicolas Batum
• LaMarcus Aldridge-Marcus Camby
• Greg Oden-Joel Przybilla

Tyson Chandler

Adding Tyson Chandler into the already-dynamic tandem of Portland big men would strike fear into each and every slashing guard in the NBA.

Greg Oden, LaMarcus Aldridge and Marcus Camby are already a force to be reckoned with. Inserting Chandler into the rotation would not only give Aldridge the rest he so desperately needed last season, but it would give the Blazers a back-up plan should anything happen to the oft-injured Oden or Camby.

Imagine inside scorers like Dwyane Wade or Russell Westbrook attempting to penetrate the lane against two solid big men like Chandler and Oden. It would be a nightmare!

Having a center with Chandler's seven-foot frame would also create an automatic plus in Portland's rebounding margin. Camby averaged 10.3 rebounds, Aldridge 8.8 and Oden, in his 21 games in the 2009-2010 season, averaged 8.5. The Blazers would dominate the paint, finally leveling the playing field against teams like the Los Angeles Lakers who out-rebound their opponents with their tremendous size.

Rotation with Chandler:

• Raymond Felton—Jon Diebler—Patty Mills
• Wes Matthews—Brandon Roy—Jon Diebler
• Gerald Wallace—Nicolas Batum
• LaMarcus Aldridge—Marcus Camby
• Greg Oden—Tyson Chandler