Leon Powe

blayzees — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 00:56:02 -0000

Leon Powe is the answer at backup PF. Why?

1. He's not a Nate-approved vet, but he has grit and he has a ring with the Celts. And not just a Darko/Adam Morrison lucky-to-be-there ring. He went to war with that team and was a key role player. So he brings some experience and knowledge to the locker room.

2. At 25, he fits right in age-wise with the rest of the Blazers, and should be peaking when Brandon, LaMarcus et al are at their best.

3. He's a rugged rebounder, especially at the offensive end. Last season his offensive rebound rate was 3rd in the league behind Oden and Kevin Love.

4. He's efficient offensively, largely due to all those offensive put-backs but also because he's great at getting to the line. His true shooting percentage was 59.1%.

5. He's used to coming off the bench, which is what he'll do for the Blazers, so there will not be any drama, despite the fact that he's a 17 and 11 per 40 minutes guy.

6. He's a great guy, and will fit in with our culture. I've read much about him, but I also knew his high school counselor who raved about what a genuinely nice guy he was. (Classmate Marshawn Lynch, not so much.)

7. He's a bargain since the Celtics dropped him because he's injured. In other words, we'd be pulling an anti-Hedo and making a run for someone when his market value was at its lowest, not highest.

SB Nation User Blog: blayzees

Leon Powe