Portland Trail Blazers: 5 Big Men the Team Must Pursue This Offseason

The Portland Trail Blazers have a number of holes to fill heading into the 2012-13 season, and while the point guard spot seems to be the most pressing, finding a reliable big man is right there on the priority list this summer.

Greg Oden was supposed to be the center of the future, but with the often-injured big man no longer on the team, it’s time to get back to the drawing board.

Roy Hibbert

Roy Hibbert is going to command a lot of interest this summer as a restricted free agent, but if the Blazers are smart, they’ll be right there in the mix.

Hibbert put up career numbers all over the board this year, and is continuing to do so throughout the Indiana Pacers’ playoff run.

He’s not going to be cheap, and quite frankly, the Pacers could be willing to match any offer he accepts.

The Blazers, however, need to be aggressive in their pursuit. Alongside LaMarcus Aldridge, the two All-Stars could prove to be one of the best big-man tandems in the NBA next season.

Spencer Hawes

Spencer Hawes is not a big-name free agent, but after playing some of the best basketball of his young career, the guy deserves more than a quick look from the Trail Blazers.

At just 24 years old, Hawes averaged 9.6 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.3 block shots per game this season.

His uptempo style of play would complement LaMarcus Aldridge nicely, and his 7’1”, 245-pound frame could provide the inside presence the team has been lacking for so many years now.

J.J. Hickson

J.J. Hickson is a restricted free agent, and while the Blazers will have the opportunity to match any offer he accepts this summer, the team is going to have to look at how he fits in with next year’s rotation before making a commitment to the 23-year-old forward.

While in Portland, Hickson looked great. He averaged 15.1 points, 8.3 rebounds and provided the team with energy, hustle and inside play throughout the late-season stretch.

Hickson became the go-to option on most nights late last season, and while he should be looked at this summer, it needs to be with the understanding that he is no longer the No. 1 option on offense.

Whether or not Hickson is in the starting lineup next season, the Blazers need to take a look at his entire body of work—not just the 19 games he played for Portland—and figure out how much he’s worth and what role he’d fill with the team moving forward.

Tyler Zeller

Out of North Carolina, Tyler Zeller is expected to be the first center taken in the upcoming NBA draft behind UCONN’s Andre Drummond.

Zeller is a player who despite his 7’0”, 250-pound frame, can run the floor extremely well.

The senior center averaged 16.3 points, 9.6 rebounds and 1.5 blocks last season.

One thing that helps separate Zeller from the crowd is his shooting touch. An 80 percent free-throw shooter, Zeller’s game extends out to about 18 feet.

He’s going to need to bulk up at the next level, but with an offensive game that can be played either above the rim or beyond the free-throw line, Zeller could step in and help take some of the pressure off LaMarcus Aldridge next season.

Andre Drummond

While Andre Drummond’s numbers last season don’t jump out as a No. 2 pick in the NBA draft, he is a talent and an athlete that could prove to have an impact on both ends of the floor at the next level.

Averaging 10.0 points, 7.6 rebounds and 2.7 blocks per game, Drummond can be a forceful inside presence and has been noted as possibly being the second pick this summer (h/t RealGM).

Drummond is a risky pick in the upcoming draft as he’s been known to be inconsistent and takes plays off.

If the Blazers think that his size and potential are worth the risk, they could package their two lottery picks to move up in the draft and make Drummond their starting big man in Portland next season.