When it comes to offseason moves for the Portland Trail Blazers, one that the team should consider is pursuing Houston Rockets point guard Kyle Lowry. While Lowry's considered by many analysts as the best player on the Rockets roster, the team found out this season that Goran Dragic is very capable of becoming the starting point guard. This makes Lowry expendable and the Blazers could certainly use an upgrade at the position.
Lowry is the type of energy player that would fit in perfectly with a rebuilding Blazers roster. He averaged 14.3 points, 6.6 assists and 4.6 rebounds per game in the 2011-12 season, but could see those numbers go up with a healthy season next year. He is also a great threat from three-point range, which is something that the Blazers have lacked with Andre Miller and Raymond Felton at the position in recent years.
There are two years remaining on Lowry's contract, with very affordable rates of $5.75 million in 2012-13 and $6.21 million in 2013-14. He could slide right into the starting position on the Blazers and the best part about his game is that he works hard on defense. That is exactly what a young team like the Blazers will need and it could help keep the team from taking a major step back in the next couple of years. Seeing Lowry on the court with LaMarcus Aldridge would become a great treat for fans at the Rose Garden as well.
It could become expensive to acquire someone like Lowry, but it's worth it for the Blazers to figure out what the asking price will get set at. If the team ends up with two high selections in the 2012 NBA Draft, parting with one of them and another player on the roster to acquire Lowry would be well worth it. Projecting a lineup of Aldridge, Lowry, Nicolas Batum, Wesley Matthews and a young big man actually sounds pretty good to this Blazers fans.
If the Rockets fail to come to terms with Dragic in the offseason, it's also possible that he could become an inexpensive option for the Blazers to pursue in free agency. He was really good down the stretch for the Rockets this year, averaging 18 points and 8.4 assists during 28 starts. He saw a lot of playing time when Lowry got hurt, which is certainly going to push up his value as several teams look for an answer at point guard.
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*Ryan is a Northwest bred sports fan that has been a Portland Trail Blazers fan for years. He has high hopes that the Blazers can make it to the Western Conference Playoffs again next year.
