Andre Miller—Final Signing Reaction

Now that everyone has had a few days to soak up the Andre Miller signing, I think it's safe to say the reactions have gotten more positive.

Initially Miller's main weakness, his inability to hit an outside jumper, seemed to overwhelm some Blazer fans. It was unfathomable to think we'd bring in a point guard who can't shoot threes.

Then of course there was the talk about his defense not being any better than Steve Blake's defense. Certainly those deficiencies will require certain adjustments, but since Portland is committing only $21 million and three years (or less) you can't expect a flawless NBA player.

The official press release lays out the tangible details of Miller's arrival. His lifetime statistical averages, slightly better playoff stats, ironman career, and, of course, the fact that he wants to be here:

"I'm really excited for this opportunity with the Trail Blazers and look forward to working with my new team," said Miller. "I hope to provide veteran leadership to a young talented nucleus and help Portland take the next step in the pursuit of a championship."

When the rumors initially resurfaced last week, there seemed to be a major split about whether or not we should sign him. Now I'm getting the feeling that bloggers and fans alike are warming up to the idea. It's also interesting to note that, according to Quick, Nate McMillan wanted Miller all along:

"I felt like I kind of knew him already,'' McMillan said. "Because in a sense, we were similar as players, as far as not being great scorers or shooters, but we made our teams better because of our feel for the game and our I.Q.''

More than anything else, I think this signing is about the intangibles.

Sure, Andre is going to put up decent numbers all around. At 33 years old, he is still a great player.

In a league that is dominated by guards—specifically guys who handle the ball—we need a guy like Miller.

His court awareness, vision, ability to make tough passes, and veteran leadership is going to be huge for everyone else on the Blazers.

Miller and Blake are apparently going to be our point guards for the 2009/2010 season. For a time this summer, it looked like Jerryd Bayless might get his chance but apparently his work in summer league didn't help him earn more playing time.

I'm torn about Bayless right now. Part of me believes he showed improvement in summer league—getting to the rim, finishing with contact, and hitting open shooters. But the other part of me saw him force passes and ultimately turn the ball over too much.

This much I know is true: What we need to see from Bayless isn't going to show up in summer league.

To really know what Jerryd is capable of, he needs real playing time in real games. Not just for a few weeks, but for a whole season.

Russel Westbrook comes to mind for me as an example. I had no idea he was capable of doing so much for the Thunder. But he was given the opportunity to excel without ever looking over his shoulder. Bayless hasn't been afforded that luxury.

Clearly I'm happy to have Andre Miller. He's a relatively short-term option with a reasonable financial obligation.

I also want to see Bayless get a realistic shot someday for Portland. There's got to be something else in the pipeline, perhaps another trade? It's still tough to tell.

The bottom line in all of this is that Andre Miller is a Blazer. So no matter what we think, good or bad, he's going to be an important piece of this intricate puzzle. I'm excited to see what him improve on a stellar season with the 76ers.

What do you think? Andre Miller signing, good or bad?