The Portland Trail Blazers continued reconstructing their bench, agreeing to a two-year, $6 million deal with former Philadelphia 76ers small forward Dorell Wright. Wright will likely back up Nicolas Batum and play with him in small lineups.
Dorell Wright could surprise as key cog off Portland Trail Blazers’ bench
Dorell Wright is a good three-point shooter that should provide the Blazers with some much-needed depth along the wing at a good price.
It’s a nice value signing. Wright kind of got lost on a 76ers team that lacked direction and was not tailored to his skills, but on paper, he appears to be the kind of 3/D shooter that has become popular around the league. He actually posted a very good true shooting percentage and was at 37 percent from beyond the arc, but Doug Collins didn’t really trust him as a complete player and often parked him on the bench.
The one problem with Wright is that he can be a little too trigger-happy from three. His three-point attempts per 36 minutes have trended upward since leaving the Heat in 2010, culminating in an absurd 7.3 number with the 76ers last season. Part of the problem is that he launches bad three-point shots, either early in the shot clock or with a hand in his face. If he cut out some of those, he might become an even higher percentage shooter from deep.
That inconsistency from game to game probably prevented Wright from getting a bigger deal. His numbers look good on the whole, especially for those who embrace the advanced statistical movement, but he tends to float from game-to-game. His defensive effort lags, his aggression is inconsistent and you often end up disappointed.
But he's still relatively young, can space the floor and has played on some lost teams that didn't properly value him. The Blazers are building around Damian Lillard and LaMarcus Aldridge, a pick and roll duo that could be deadly with more shooters. Wright can certainly shoot and could be due for a surprising season if he can improve his selection.
GRADE: B+
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