National Basketball Association

Portland Trail Blazers: 5 goals for Caleb Swanigan's rookie season

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 5:38 p.m. ET

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Mar 22, 2017; Kansas City, MO, USA; Purdue Boilermakers forward Caleb Swanigan (50) speaks during a press conference during practice the day before the Midwest Regional semifinals of the 2017 NCAA Tournament at Sprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

What are some goals that Portland Trail Blazers forward Caleb Swanigan could set for his rookie season in 2017-18?

The Portland Trail Blazers' decided to bolster their frontcourt with the selection of Purdue big Caleb Swanigan in the 2017 NBA Draft.

Many young players around the world work hard to have their name called at the draft. For Caleb Swanigan, who dealt with homelessness and obesity in his youth, the NBA is now a reality.

However, the work isn't done once their names are announced at the podium.

Swanigan comes into the league with a number of positive traits. His work ethic is nearly unmatched. He's a big-body post-up player and was one of the top rebounders in college basketball last year. He is also capable of stretching the floor with his jumper.

But he also isn't the perfect prospect. His lack of athleticism and struggles on defense serve as limitations. He'll also need to shore up his positives to assure they are up to NBA standards.

The practicing and path to improvement will start very soon. The NBA Summer League kicks off in July; the Blazers will be participating in the Vegas portion of the circuit. From there, training camp commences in October.

Caleb Swanigan and the Blazers organization almost certainly have a checklist of things they want him to develop this season. Here's a look at some goals he could look to achieve in 2017-18.

Mar 22, 2017; Kansas City, MO, USA; Purdue Boilermakers forward Caleb Swanigan (50) during practice the day before the Midwest Regional semifinals of the 2017 NCAA Tournament at Sprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports

5. Maintain three-point efficiency

Caleb Swanigan is a big bruiser of a power forward. However, he also showed his ability to stretch the floor. Swanigan shot 44.7 percent from beyond the arc on 85 total attempts in 2016-17. This was a 15.5 percent improvement from 2015-16.

Porting that three-point success over from the college game will be key to making him an offensive weapon in Portland. But it isn't a simple copy-and-paste job.

For one, the NBA line is further back than what Swanigan is used to. In the NCAA, the arc has a 20'9″ radius while the corners are 4'3″ from the sidelines. In the NBA, the line has a 23'9″ radius and the corners are 3′ from the sidelines. If Swanigan is going to succeed from outside in the NBA, he will need to expand his range.

Additionally, Swanigan will likely have less time to get his shots off. With the heightened athleticism on the court, defenders will be closing out quicker and contesting harder on his attempts. He will have to make sure his shot releases are able to withstand the tougher defense without being blocked or altered.

If Swanigan is able to uphold his three-point prowess in his rookie season, he will be a nightmare for defenses to deal with.

Jan 12, 2017; Iowa City, IA, USA; Purdue Boilermakers forward Caleb Swanigan (50) is defended by Iowa Hawkeyes forward Tyler Cook (5) during the second half at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Iowa won 83-78. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports

4. Improve playmaking tools

The Trail Blazers offense runs well when they have a big that can pass out of the post. The team started 2016-17 with Mason Plumlee, then upgraded to Jusuf Nurkic via trade in February. Swanigan could also fill this role when given the chance.

In addition to being one of the top post players in college basketball in 2016-17, he also averaged 3.0 assists per game. However, he didn't find open shooters at Purdue without breaking some eggs along the way. He also averaged 3.4 turnovers per game in 2016-17.

Swanigan struggles to create shots off of the dribble. While he was a good outside shooter last season, he had trouble figuring out what to do if a defender was quick enough to close out on his shot.

Draft Express notes he only produced 0.3 points per possession on isolation plays. While the isolation plays will be reserved for Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum, it's still unfortunate that Swanigan is so easily neutralized as long as the defender can chase him off of the perimeter.

Swanigan doesn't need to become another primary ball-handler for Portland. However, there are some playmaking tools he can improve on that can help the Blazers offense continue to flow. We'll see if he can improve his passing and shot creation in his rookie season.

Nov 30, 2016; Louisville, KY, USA; Louisville Cardinals forward Ray Spalding (13) battles Purdue Boilermakers forward Caleb Swanigan (50) for a rebound during the second half at KFC Yum! Center. Louisville defeated Purdue 71-64. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Rhodes-USA TODAY Sports

3. Build up strength

Based off of his draft combine measurements, Caleb Swanigan enters the league at 6'9″ and 246 pounds. His post game and rebounding ability shows that he knows how to utilize his height and size. However, as he is set to face NBA veterans this fall, he could always stand to build on his strength.

Swanigan was the second-best rebounder in college basketball in 2017, averaging 12.5 boards per game. He was able to accomplish this with constant hustle and the ability to bully forwards of similar or smaller size. In the post, he utilized good footwork and a flurry of moves to get past his defender.

But in both facets, Swanigan struggled against taller players. Players that were 6'10" or taller were able to box him out at times and shoot over him in the paint. Those trees also made it harder for him to finish at the rim.

According to NBA.com, there were 51 players that were 6'10" and taller and 250 pounds or more last season. He will likely have to build up his strength in order to rumble with players of that size on a nightly basis. This is a development that will likely take time.

Dec 3, 2016; West Lafayette, IN, USA; Purdue Boilermakers forward Caleb Swanigan (50) defends against the Morehead State Eagles in the first half at Mackey Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sandra Dukes-USA TODAY Sports

2. Improve on defense

One of Swanigan's biggest issues entering the NBA is his defense. He would often get beat off of the dribble when quicker players drew him out to the perimeter. He also had his issues defending the pick-and-roll. The speed increases at the NBA level, which will only exacerbate the problem if it goes unchecked.

Those defensive issues came through on the stat sheet. In 2016-17, Swanigan only averaged 0.4 steals and 0.8 blocks per game. His 7'3″ wingspan gives him the ability to disrupt passing lanes and swat shots, but his foot speed still needs to be developed.

Swanigan won't be alone when he's working on his defense this year. Portland finished the season 24th in defensive rating. Things got a little better when Nurkic played, giving them a rim protector that allowed everyone else to stay on the perimeter. But the Blazers collectively have their work cut out for them defensively in 2017-18.

It may be a tall task improving Swanigan's defense in his first season, but he is a player that accepts coaching and feedback very well. If he does improve on defense, it wouldn't be too surprising.

Feb 28, 2017; West Lafayette, IN, USA; Purdue Boilermakers forward Caleb Swanigan (50) waits for the ball to be inbounded during a game against the Indiana Hoosiers at Mackey Arena. Purdue defeats Indiana 86-75. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

1. Become a major part of the Blazers' rotation

If Caleb Swanigan is able to complete at least half of the aforementioned four goals this season, he will be exceeding expectations for the average rookie. However, he has his work cut out for him if he wants to pick up major minutes in his first year.

Ahead of free agency, the Blazers are logjammed at the power forward position. Al-Farouq Aminu, Ed Davis, Meyers Leonard, Noah Vonleh and fellow rookie Zach Collins are all capable of playing the 4 along with Swanigan. Even if trades are made this summer to clear out roster space, there will most likely still be a crowd at that position.

Portland's power forwards collectively struggled last season, so the barriers for Swanigan to enter the rotation aren't as high as other teams. However, all of those players are professional athletes that will also be working to improve on their rough seasons. So the competition will be high once training camp comes around.

In order to break through, he will have to utilize his well-known work ethic to iron out some of his flaws. He doesn't have to become the perfect prospect, but constantly improving will help him become a major part of the Blazers' rotation sooner.

Caleb Swanigan surely has his own goals he wishes to reach as the 2017-18 league year officially begins on July 1. With his tools and work ethic, it's not hard to foresee him succeeding at the NBA level.