Final Regular-Season Grades for Every Portland Trail Blazers Player
The 2014-15 season is coming to an end for the Portland Trail Blazers, which means it’s time to look back at how the players fared.
There were some new faces, though most were old ones. But a mixture of both helped push this team forward through adversity—of which there was plenty.
A number of severe injuries to key guys limited the potential of this team over the course of the year, especially one that ended a player’s season prematurely. But the body of work for this Portland team still stands, and the majority of it is stellar.
Whether it’s the team’s leading scorer or the last man off the bench, the individual Blazers received grades based on their performances for the season. Some received special consideration based on certain circumstances, but the ratings are centered on each player’s production for the year.
The Reserves
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Tim Frazier, PG: Incomplete
Tim Frazier joined the Blazers in late March. The 6’1” guard has only played four games with Portland to this point, averaging 2.5 points and 1.8 assists.
He has a flair for distributing, as evidenced by his seven assists with just one turnover against the Oklahoma City Thunder on April 13, but he hasn’t been with the team long enough to merit a grade.
Alonzo Gee, SF: C+
Like Frazier, Alonzo Gee hasn’t been with this team very long. Having said that, he has managed to be a solid substitute over the 14 games he’s played.
Gee’s 3.1 points on 47.2 percent shooting has been solid, though his lack of an outside shot has hindered his ability to fit in. But in any case, he’s done his absolute best to join the roster and learn the system.
Allen Crabbe, SF: B-
Allen Crabbe played a much larger role this season compared to last, jumping from 6.7 minutes in 15 games to 13.0 minutes in 50 contests.
He’s been a reliable outside shooter, knocking down 37.0 percent from three. He's even started eight games in place of a few injured regulars. But on a roster rife with outside shooters, Crabbe has sometimes been lost in the mix.
Dorell Wright, SF: B-
Though his playing time has been somewhat inconsistent, Dorell Wright remains a unique player for the Blazers. His size and length allow him to play the 4, giving Portland the option of a smaller lineup.
Wright logged 4.6 points and 2.3 rebounds in 12.4 minutes and converted 38.0 percent of his outside shots.
Joel Freeland, C: B+
With a few starters missing time, Joel Freeland did remarkably well to step in and average 5.0 points, 7.8 rebounds and 1.4 blocks in eight games as the starting center.
He put up 3.4 points and 4.0 rebounds for the season, but injuries and a plethora of big men limited his time on the court. Freeland played effectively regardless.
Meyers Leonard, C: A
Meyers Leonard established himself as an effective and unique player this season, averaging 5.9 points, 4.5 rebounds and 0.9 made three-point shots. It’s unusual for someone of his 7'1" stature to have such a shooting touch, but he has made it work with a shooting slash of 51.3/43.1/93.5.
As a starter, Leonard upped his production to 12.6 points, 6.0 rebounds and 1.9 made threes per game in 25.9 minutes. After two seasons of timid and inconsistent play, Leonard has found himself and is here to stay.
Steve Blake, PG: B+
Despite his age, Steve Blake has been a phenomenal addition to this Portland team.
His outside shooting wasn't amazing (34.4 percent), but he was able to act as a supercharged reserve point guard. Blake consistently amped up the offense when he was on the court, averaging 3.5 dimes and the league's ninth-best assist-to-turnover ratio, per ESPN.com. He currently ranks third among all bench players in total assists, per Basketball-Reference.com.
C.J. McCollum, SG: A-
A broken index finger slowed his start to the season, but C.J. McCollum has been on fire of late. His 6.8 points and 43.6/39.6/69.9 shooting slash doesn’t reflect his ability, though his 15.6 points on 53.2 percent from the field, 40.7 percent shooting from three and 87.5 percent from the stripe in April illustrate how much he’s improved over the course of the year.
It’s taken a little while, but McCollum has finally broken into the rotation and established himself as a scorer for the Blazers.
Key Reserve: Chris Kaman, C
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Chris Kaman joined the Blazers in free agency and fit in right away. Portland lacked an offensive option off the bench the season prior, but the big man was able to chip in with ease this year.
Kaman averaged 8.6 points and 6.5 rebounds, converting 51.5 percent of his field-goal attempts and 70.6 percent of his shots at the foul line. He formed a synergy with fellow reserve Blake, as the point guard assisted on more than one-fifth of Kaman’s made field goals, per NBA.com.
Despite a reputation for being injury-prone, Kaman was able to appear in 74 games to this point, his highest total since the 2009-10 season.
This year also marked the most games the center played as a reserve, which serves as a testament to his willingness to compete every night without complaining about his role and doing so diligently, efficiently and consistently.
All in all, Kaman gave the Blazers a perfect complementary player off the bench and should do the same going forward.
Grade: A
Sixth Man: Arron Afflalo, SG
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Arron Afflalo joined Portland at the trade deadline, and it’s safe to say things haven’t gone as planned.
The 2-guard was meant to serve as a sixth man, coming in behind Wesley Matthews for scoring punch off the bench. Instead, a season-ending injury to Matthews forced Afflalo into the starting role.
He’s put up 10.6 points during his time with Portland this season, shooting 41.4 percent from the field and 40 percent from three-point range. A right-shoulder injury will force Afflalo to miss one-to-two weeks going forward, but he should return in the opening round of the postseason, according to The Associated Press (h/t Fox Sports).
He’s only been a member of Rip City for a short time, but Afflalo has answered the call regardless of his role. His words to Portland fans via The Players’ Tribune speak volumes. Afflalo's play on the court has mirrored those sentiments, despite the changeable circumstances around his place with the Blazers.
He's struggled slightly to fit in over a very short span of time, which has affected his grade, but his efforts cannot be questioned.
Grade: B+
Starting Center: Robin Lopez
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All mascot-assaults aside, Robin Lopez has had a solid year for Portland.
His minutes dropped from 31.8 last season to 27.9 due to the addition of Kaman and the emergence of Leonard and Freeland. Lopez hasn’t been required to do as much on the court, which has made him more efficient in shorter spurts.
His 9.7 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game don’t come close to explaining his value to the Blazers. Lopez’s physicality, screens and ability to space the floor with his huge 7’0”, 255-pound frame don’t show up on the stat sheet as he consistently does the dirty work without question.
He remains a truly underrated component of this Portland team but has reveled in his status. Lopez has been a perfect complementary player for the Blazers since he arrived last season and was no different this year.
A broken hand forced Lopez to miss more than 20 games early on, but he looks to be fully healthy for the postseason.
His role might have been slightly smaller this year, but Lopez's efforts never diminished.
Grade: A
Starting Small Forward: Nicolas Batum
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Nicolas Batum’s year has been nothing short of challenging.
The swingman suffered through knee, wrist and back injuries at different points of the season. Batum looked to recover and improve, only to fall to another knock that hindered his play.
Prior to the All-Star break, he converted just 37.4 percent from the field and 27.1 percent from three-point range. But after a period of rest, Batum managed to improve to 45.2 and 42.5 percent from the field and beyond the arc, respectively, in the 25 games since.
Outside of his shooting, Batum has remained effective on the boards (5.9) and in running the offense, averaging 4.8 assists per game. He’s done the latter with supreme competence, ranking No. 1 in assist-to-turnover ratio among all non-point guards and tied for No. 18 overall (with the Dallas Mavericks' Rajon Rondo), per ESPN.com.
Injuries have interrupted his play, but Batum stayed the course and has been an important piece for the Blazers all season.
Grade: A-
Starting Shooting Guard: Wesley Matthews
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Hold back those tears, Rip City.
Wesley Matthews was having a terrific season leading up to what should have been a highly profitable free-agency period. But a torn Achilles tendon in late March cost the 2-guard his season—as well as the Blazers’ heart and soul.
Matthews’ 15.9 points on 44.8 percent shooting from the field and 38.9 percent from three perfectly accompanied the offense of his teammates, stretching the floor with 2.9 made three-point field goals per game. Such an average ranks No. 4 in the NBA, and Matthews’ total made shots from long range still rank in the top 10, despite his playing almost 20 fewer games than his competitors.
Losing Iron Man took the wind out of Portland’s sails, but the team will have to battle on without him going forward. It’ll miss his fiery and energetic play on both ends, whether he was diving to the floor for a loose ball or sending an imaginary arrow to the bench after a made three-pointer.
Grade: A+
Starting Point Guard: Damian Lillard
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Damian Lillard improved as a player this season and is quickly becoming one of the league’s best.
The third-year guard upped his production in most major categories, averaging career-bests in points (21.0), rebounds (4.6) and steals (1.2) and becoming a much better inside scorer.
Lillard is renowned for his three-point shooting but made strides in driving to the rim this season. He ranks fifth in two-point field goals made among point guards, converting 50 percent of such shots according to ESPN.com. It’s a stark improvement over last season, where Lillard was positioned 12th and knocked down 44.7 percent.
Lillard fell off a little from outside this season, dropping from 39.4 percent shooting last year to a career-low 34.3 percent. He has still knocked down the sixth-most three-point shots this season, totaling 195 in 81 games, so his drop-off is most certainly a case of more defensive attention.
All in all, Lillard ranks No. 5 in total points scored this season. He’s an All-Star guard, after all.
Despite his lack of NBA experience, Lillard needs to improve as a defensive player to reach the next level. Not only would it vault him into the league’s elite-level status, but it would aid the Blazers’ quest for a championship as well.
Still, one thing at a time.
Grade: A-
Starting Power Forward: LaMarcus Aldridge
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Make way for the L-Train.
LaMarcus Aldridge has led the Trail Blazers to one of the NBA’s best records despite battling a thumb injury that was meant to keep him out for weeks.
He hasn’t been alone, but his 23.5 points and 10.3 rebounds on 46.8 percent shooting have a lot to do with it.
Aldridge is one of just three players to average at least 20 points and 10 rebounds this season. He’s also knocked down the most field goals of any NBA player thus far despite playing fewer games (70) than the two players below him, those being Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors (79) and James Harden of the Houston Rockets (80).
In addition, Aldridge improved his three-point stroke for the season, making more shots (36) than over his entire NBA career (24).
Aldridge has established himself as arguably the top power forward in the league with an array of offensive moves that are difficult to stop. Whether he’s shooting from mid-range, turning and firing from the post or sweeping across the lane with a hook shot, Aldridge has been a point-scoring powerhouse for the Blazers.
Grade: A+
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