Portland Trail Blazers need some bodies on the court. Wesley Matthews went down and they’ve been messing around with their rotation ever since. It has forced Arron Afflalo to come off the bench and start for them after he was originally acquired to be that volume scoring sixth man. Alonzo Gee, C.J. McCollum, Allen Crabbe and Steve Blake have all been playing increased minutes but either as spot shooters in Blake or McCollum or defensive, energy guys in Crabbe or Gee.
They don’t have a true backup point guard for Damian Lillard. Now they potentially have signed a rookie that can come off the bench and be a pass-first point guard. Rookie Tim Frazier has signed with the Blazers for the remainder of the season, into the playoffs.
Following from an official Blazers release by the team.
The Portland Trail Blazers have signed guard Tim Frazier for the remainder of the season, President of Basketball Operations Neil Olshey announced today. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Frazier, 24, signed two 10-day contracts with the Philadelphia 76ers last month, averaging 5.7 points, 3.2 rebounds, 7.2 assists and 1.00 steal in six games (three starts).
Frazier (6-1, 170) joins the Trail Blazers from the Maine Red Claws of the NBA Development League, where he posted averages of 16.1 points, 7.1 rebounds, 9.5 assists and 1.66 steals in 41 games (40 starts) this season.
The D-League leader with four triple-doubles, Frazier is a three-time D-League Performer of the Week. Frazier played for Penn State from 2009-14, earning First Team All-Big Ten honors his junior year.
He will wear No. 10 for the Trail Blazers.
Frazier’s first game in the NBA was his best game as he handed out 11 assists, which only 6 other players have done as a rookie in their debut. Michael Carter-Williams, Jason Kidd, Isiah Thomas, Maurice Cheeks, Ernie DiGregorio and Frazier’s new teammate, Damian Lillard.
His shooting isn’t too bad either.
Maine guard Tim Frazier has averaged 16.2 points, 9.6 assists and 7.2 rebounds with a 61% TS%. pic.twitter.com/PSmQfvhFkt
— Ridiculous Upside (@RidicUpside) March 28, 2015
After two 10-day contracts with the Philadelphia 76ers, oddly enough Frazier went from one of the league’s worst teams to a squad trying to prove to everyone, they belong in the conversation of title contenders.
