NBA Free Agency 2018: 5 offseason targets for the Portland Trail Blazers

5.  Glenn Robinson III

Given Portland’s dearth of playable wings, a dynamic athlete with a solid body frame like Glenn Robinson is well worth a look. Though he has clear limitations, Robinson harbors some enticing two-way potential; GRIII may never blossom offensively, but dishing out a small contract and betting that he does is a palatable risk.

Robinson is coming off of an injury riddled season in which he missed all but 23 games due to ligament damage in his left ankle. And he didn’t play all that much for the Pacers upon returning. The team was generally conservative in terms of managing his minutes. He showed enough flashes in 2017 to warrant further examination though.

GRIII was an important bench cog for the 2017 Pacers and also started 27 games for them at the two spot. On offense, he’s a complementary piece that needs playmaking teammates to manufacture the majority of his shots. Most of Robinson’s attempts are catch and shoot looks from deep. Although he’s shot 39.3 percent from 3-point land (including 46 percent from the corners) since joining the Pacers in 2015-2016, the reliability of Robinson’s jumper is still a mystery. He’s averaged 1.4 attempts from deep per game over the past three seasons. That’s not nearly enough of a sample to determine the trustworthiness of his shot. But the signs are positive at the very least.

GRIII’s offensive game inside the arc is a bit more concerning. He takes too many long two-pointers, especially given the fact that he’s not exactly shooting daggers from the mid-range. Robinson is a career 37 percent shooter from 16-23 feet. Excising a few of those looks from his diet would really help. He’s also not much of a threat off the dribble. Robinson’s drives tend to end poorly when someone is there to deter his path.

At the other end of the floor, GRIII has the physical tools to become a ferocious defender, but he’s definitely not there yet. Robinson is 6’6 with a 6’10 wingspan and he’s listed at 220 pounds. That’s the kind of physical profile that you would expect from a rock solid wing defender that can switch across multiple positions. At this juncture, GRIII is a bit inconsistent on defense. He can be pesky on his good nights and inattentive on his worst. If Robinson can get a little more perceptive and judicious on that end, he’ll become a fierce defender on a nightly basis.

GRIII is still a project at this point, but he has a legit chance to develop into a 3-and-D player. That type of player doesn’t usually come with a cheap price tag in the free agent market. Robinson will likely be the most cost-effective option with that kind of potential that’s available this summer. If Robinson is attainable for a few million annually, Portland should pursue him.