2011 NBA Draft Results: Did Portland Add the Final Pieces to Become Contenders?
The Portland Trailblazers, like always, were very active in this year's draft.
They added many needed pieces, some that could finally push them far enough to finally become contenders for the title.
Portland has always been thought to be so close to finally cracking its way to the top, but missing pieces always lead to their failure in the playoffs.
Did this year's draft night make the Trailblazers contenders?
Continue reading, as I take a look at each added piece, what they bring to the table, and how they will help Portland.
Raymond Felton
1 of 4What he brings to the table
Speed, solid perimeter shooting, ability to set up team mates for easy buckets.
How he will help the Blazers
He will add the constant threat from the perimeter we lacked at the point guard position since Miller came to the team and will help make the Blazers a more up-tempo team.
Raymond Felton was brought into the team through a three team trade, as they sent Andre Miller and Jordan Hamilton (who was sent to Portland as part of the deal with Dallas) to Denver for Raymond Felton.
Felton is one of the fastest players in the NBA, and his speed is really needed for the Blazers. He knows how to run a fast break, or how to run a half court set, as shown by his time in New York and Charlotte respectively, making him the perfect candidate to run a diverse offense with a lot of variety in tempo.
Felton has also improved his jump shot to the point that he is pretty deadly from long range. This will help spread the floor for the Blazers, making Aldridge's job that much easier. Also, shooting was one of the Blazers' weaknesses.
Defensively, he is a little better than Miller, mainly due to his speed and quickness. This will help make it even harder to crack the Portland defense, which was already very good before the trade.
Overall, I think this addition can win Portland a couple more games and help in late game situations where shooting is needed.
Nolan Smith
2 of 4What he brings to the table
A crafty point guard who brings a winning mentality to a team now lacking it; knows how to put the ball in the basket and how to set up team mates; also brings a lethal and consistent outside shot.
How he will help the Blazers
He provides much-needed depth at a position where Portland was really lacking much quality outside of the starting five.
Nolan Smith was a guy I was really high on.
I admit, I thought Portland was either going to take Faried, Hamilton, Johnson or Tyler with this pick, but when Nolan Smith's name was announced, I took a sigh of relief.
He is a really smart player, which is something that Coach Nate loves.
Defensively, he is really solid, possessing good length and height for the point guard position and just enough quickness to keep guards in front of him.
He's not the most athletic, but his smarts and ability to run an offense help him a lot in transition.
He struggles trying to create his own shot sometimes, but that is not needed in an offense centered now around running the ball through the post and freeing up shooters.
His passing will help a lot, as will his accurate jump shot, and I think this was a really solid pick for the Blazers, even if it was kind of a stretch.
John Diebler
3 of 4What he brings to the table
Shooting, shooting and more shooting.
How he will help the Blazers
He will help with shooting, shooting and more shooting
Diebler was a really consistent threat from outside, shooting better than 50 percent from deep last season. The reason he was so accurate was the presence of post threat Jared Sullinger on his team. Well, he will be glad to know the Blazers have one of the top PF's in the league on their team, who just happens to be better than Sullinger.
As defenses collapse on Aldridge, Diebler will get his chance to do what he does best—shoot.
Other than that, he is pretty one-dimensional, but with a second-round pick, you usually look for someone with a defined role rather than your next star player, unless you're the Spurs and you pick Manu Ginobilli.
Good pick for the Blazers, as they address their main weakness with this pick.
Other Moves That Can Be Made
4 of 4One trade I have thought of that is plausible is a sign and trade that would send Greg Oden, Luke Babbit, and Armon Johnson to Toronto for Amir Johnson and Ed Davis.
Both are big men who can rebound and block at a consistent rate.
Oden also gives Toronto a center they have been longing for, and he can give them depth at the position with newly acquired Jonas V coming over from Europe.
Jonas and Oden would make a really deadly defensive duo for Toronto, something they are really lacking.
Armon Johnson would also help the Raptors defensively on the wing, and Luke Babbit could be used to fill their void at SF, or as trade bait to move up in next year's draft in an effort to acquire Harrison Barnes or James McAdoo.
This trade actually makes a lot more sense than when you first look at it, and should be looked at by both GM's.
