NBA Portland Trail Blazers

Arron Afflalo Great Upgrade For Portland Trail Blazers’ Bench

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By @ShaneRantSports

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Getty Images

The Portland Trail Blazers were looking for that one piece to push them over the edge and set them apart from the field. Well, they may have just found it only hours before the NBA trade deadline. The Denver Nuggets have traded Arron Afflalo to the Blazers for three players and a 2016 first-round draft pick. For Portland, it was a matter of winning now with LaMarcus Aldridge set to become a free agent.

To put it simply, the acquisition of Afflalo is a huge upgrade for the Trail Blazers, if and only if Terry Stotts uses the shooting guard off the bench. Afflalo had started all 53 games for the Nuggets this season, but he was shooting one of the lowest percentage of his career at just 43 percent. The Blazers do not need him to start, because they already have Wesley Matthews, who is averaging 16.4 points in 53 games.

Instead, Portland really needs someone to anchor the bench as well as a more productive and consistent sixth man. Chris Kaman leads the bench players with 8.9 points and 6.7 rebounds while backup shooting guard C.J. McCollum is averaging a mere 5.0 points. Afflalo may be shooting a low percentage, but he is pitching in 14.5 points. The Blazers need exactly that, a productive scorer off the bench.

Afflalo will have to adjust to life off the bench since he has been a consistent starter for the last few seasons, but it will be best for him and Portland. He will also become a free agent this summer, so this could be an opportunity to reprove himself with a contender and present himself to possible suitors. No matter what way you look at it, this will benefit both parties as long as Afflalo is used properly.

Shane Phillips is an Lead NBA Writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow Shane on Twitter @ShaneRantSports, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google. You can also email Shane at [email protected].

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