Written By E.Jay Zarett
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The Trail Blazers are still looking to bolster their frontcourt.
Portland is hoping to add a center before training camp, according to a report from The Athletic, which cites an unidentified league source.
Greg Monroe, Pau Gasol, Kenneth Faried and Kosta Koufos, among others, are some of the veterans at the position who remain unsigned. Koufos has received interest from at least four teams, according to an earlier report from Yahoo Sports.
The Trail Blazers have already acquired one big man this summer as they landed Hassan Whiteside from the Heat.
“Acquiring Hassan is an impact move for our roster,” Portland president of basketball operations Neil Olshey said in a statement earlier this month. “He is an elite shot blocker, rebounder and paint presence on both ends of the floor. We have pursued Hassan through multiple avenues at various times in his career and are ecstatic to be adding him to our organization.”
Whiteside has averaged 13.4 points, 11.4 rebounds and 2.3 blocks over 343 career NBA games.
“This is a fresh start,” Whiteside said at his introductory press conference with Portland. “I really think this team is on the verge of doing something really special.”
Whiteside said he has already begun to develop a relationship with Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard.
“I’ve never had anybody approach me like that,” Whiteside said, via The Athletic. “What Dame showed me was how serious he is and what kind of leader he is. That made me even more excited about coming here because he was showing me his teammate side, his leadership side.”
Trail Blazers center Jusuf Nurkic broke his leg in late March and missed the rest of the season. There is no timetable for when he’ll be back on the court, although Olshey said in May that Nurkic was “on a great trajectory in terms of returning to play.”
The Trail Blazers finished last season with a 53-29 record and advanced to the Western Conference finals, where they were swept by the Warriors.