The Portland Trail Blazers have chosen to remain quiet through the 2025 NBA Free Agency period. Portland made their big splashes before and during this year’s NBA Draft, trading guard Anfernee Simons for veteran Jrue Holiday and drafting rookie center Yang Hansen. Other than that, the noise surrounding the team has resembled crickets more than fireworks.
The Blazers still have only 13 players under contract for the coming season. They have cap exceptions available and space between themselves and the luxury tax in which to maneuver. Any team can sign veteran minimum players as well, an easy out for a franchise in Portland’s position.
Trades are always a possibility, but it’s perfectly likely that the Blazers will simply sign a player or two on the cheap. If they decide to go that route, here are a few candidates they might consider. The main virtues at hand are that they’re unrestricted free agents, still unsigned officially as of July 14th, and either might help the roster, might be worth taking a flyer on, or have been sentimental favorites in the past.
Given those criteria, here’s a list of five potential signees.
Precious Achiuwa, New York Knicks
The Blazers already have a few power forwards and three whole centers, but Jerami Grant’s health has been in question and Robert Williams III’s is even more speculative. The 26-year-old Achiuwa would provide a fine safety valve at both positions. He’s not a three-point shooter and he’s not 7’2, but he did shoot 50% from the field last season while rebounding at a rate rivaling the now-departed Deandre Ayton. Achiuwa brings energy and has enough speed to keep up with Portland’s tempo. Best of all, he has a reputation as a defender, a necessity to see the floor with this new-look squad.
Emoni Bates, Cleveland Cavaliers
Emoni Bates was a two-way player with the Cleveland Cavaliers last season. He’s speculative but he has the advantage of a low price tag and 6’10 height at the forward positions. He’s not a bad three-point shooter, though that’s all he does well offensively at this point. His offense inside the arc is a nightmare. Part of that is due to recovery from knee surgery.
Two years ago, Bates was considered one of the top offensive prospects in his draft class. He also torched the G League prior to his surgery. He’s a heck of a long shot with a checkered past, but if Portland is looking to give a last gasp to a player who, if he blossoms, could provide outside impact, they might consider a small contract for the forward.
Bol Bol, Phoenix Suns
When he played for Orlando in 2022-23, Bol Bol was one of the darling bench players in the whole league. If a giraffe and gazelle had a love child, it would probably lope down the court like he does. The 7’3 power forward eats court with his long strides. He also has three-point range and a solid 52.5% shooting percentage from the floor, even in a down year. (He averaged 42.3% from range and 61.6% overall two seasons ago.)
Bol is not quick laterally and has never developed into the shot-blocker his father—the late Manute Bol—was. But the Blazers wouldn’t rely on him for as much as the Magic and Phoenix Suns have. Though he’s been in the league six seasons, the Oregon grad is only 25 years of age. He might get one more chance as a scoring/rebounding bench spork for somebody. The Blazers have the room and the roster creativity to make that happen.
Chris Boucher, Toronto Raptors
Chris Boucher is a former energy/defense wunderkind in need of a career resurrection after eight seasons, most spent with the Toronto Raptors. Once upon a time the 6’8 forward was known as a shot-blocker with decent scoring chops. The scoring has remained. Boucher has even developed a three-point shot, albeit an inconsistent one. But the spark isn’t there in Toronto anymore. His minutes have dwindled and his former $10 million salary has largely gone to waste.
Boucher might benefit from a change in scenery. He’s 32, but if the Blazers are in win-now mode following the Jrue Holiday acquisition, Boucher would provide veteran punch.
Amir Coffey, Los Angeles Clippers
It’s really tempting to put former Blazers guard Seth Curry on this list, but Curry is aging out and probably belongs with a higher-caliber team. Amir Coffey is 28 years old, plays the wing positions, and shot 41% from the arc, 47% from the field for the Los Angeles Clippers last season.
The Clippers have been up and down in recent years. Coffey’s arc has followed. When given minutes, though, he’s shown himself more than capable as a utility bench player. His defense is fine. He’s going to help whatever team he suits up for. It’s neither a short- nor long-term investment, more of a “putting this girder in to underpin the floor” move for the next few seasons.
Coffey might be a little more expensive to sign than some of these other players, but he’d be a decent investment if the Blazers aren’t planning to keep Matisse Thybulle.
Up Next
We’re not even close to done. We’ll continue tomorrow with five more reasonably-priced potential signees.