National Basketball Association

Trail Blazers: Developing Vonleh on a Loaded Roster

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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The Trail Blazers still have young assets to develop, but finding adequate playing time to do so might be trickier than you think.

Noah Vonleh is the last remaining asset from the Trail Blazers‘ trade with the Hornets that featured Nicolas Batum. Gerald Henderson has taken his talents to Philly, which leaves the pressure on Terry Stotts and his staff to develop Vonleh in hopes of somewhat salvaging the trade. Portland’s roster figures to be one of the deepest in their history, which could make finding playing time for the 21-year-old big man a tough task.

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Vonleh’s 56 starts last season were a matter of convenience on two levels for the Trail Blazers. He served as a fill-in for the injured Meyers Leonard, and he played the role of a young option on a team that wasn’t quite aware of their ceiling. The added depth and commitment to winning in the short-term have likely taken Vonleh’s chances of starting off of the table. On the surface it looks like his development might stagnate going into his third season as a pro, but there are other ways in which Portland can continue his growth.

The D-League was underutilized by Neil Olshey and Portland’s staff during the 2015-16 season, but that could seriously change over the course of the coming year. Stotts has at least ten established NBA players on his bench (when healthy), so finding time for the younger players on the back end of the roster will be trickier than ever. Finding meaningful minutes for these players will likely have to come in unconventional ways, which makes the NBA’s lower league an enticing option.

Getting Vonleh onboard with a move to the D-League might be the hardest part, as it would likely be perceived as a massive demotion. He has gotten a taste (although small) of being a regular starter, so making a move in reverse would be a tough pill to swallow. Once past the mental side of things, Vonleh would have the chance to be the first or second option on a nightly basis. The Trail Blazers would be able to get a much better idea of how to use his talents going forward after watching him perform in a more vital role.

A move to the D-League would allow the Trail Blazers to enjoy the best of both worlds. They could continue to develop Vonleh by using actual playing time, and they’d be able to recall him if an injury occurred. Continuing his development is crucial for Portland’s long-term cap flexibility and keeping Olshey’s trade arsenal fully stocked. Using unconventional ways to maximize Vonleh’s growth might be the only way to get results with a roster as deep as the current one.

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