The Portland Trail Blazers' frontcourt got a little deeper and a lot bigger on Thursday, when they signed unrestricted free agent center Chris Kaman to a two-year, $9.8 million free agent offer sheet. The deal cannot become official until the NBA free agency moratorium ends on July 10.
I spoke with Kaman last night on the phone from his home in Grand Rapids Michigan, and he was enthusiastic about coming to Portland.
Here's a few notes from our conversation:
* An array of reasons led Kaman's to choose the Blazers, including his close relationship with general manager Neil Olshey and assistant coach Kim Hughes. Kaman played for the Los Angeles Clippers for eight seasons and both men were instrumental in his development when they were involved in the organization. After enduring what he described as a "rough couple of years" with the Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Lakers over the last two seasons, he wanted to be around people he trusted.
But an even bigger draw to Portland was winning. Kaman has played 11 NBA seasons and been a part of a winning team just once — in 2005-06 with the Clippers. The only other time he sniffed .500 was with the Mavericks in 2012-13.
"I want to be back in playoffs and help the team get back to wining the title," Kaman said. "I think the Trail Blazers are right at that level."
* Back to the last two seasons ... Kaman said his stint with the Mavericks just "didn't pan out." He signed with Dallas excited about the chance to play alongside All-Star Dirk Nowitzki and eager to "get a serious opportunity to win." But Nowitzki was injured early in the season and played just 53 games. As a byproduct, the Mavericks did not make the playoffs for the first time in 12 seasons. All the while, Kaman's relationship with coach Rick Carlisle soured.
"I didn't pan out the way I thought it would," Kaman said. "Me and Carlisle didn't see down the same path."
So he signed with the Lakers the following year, "looking for a fresh start."
But the Kobe Bryant-less Lakers were a mess from the beginning and coach Mike D'Antoni's small-ball style didn't mesh with Kaman's skillset. He wound up playing an average of just 18.9 minutes in 39 games. It was the fewest minutes he's played in his career and the second-fewest number of games.
"The times I didn't play, it was frustrating and mentally draining," Kaman said.
- There was another draw to Portland:
Kaman said he has long respected the three-time All-Star's game, which he says has long been underappreciated.
"I've had conversations with him throughout the years," Kaman said of Aldridge. "I like his game. I like how he plays. He's underrated big time. I think he's one of the top power forwards in the NBA right now and he doesn't get the recognition he deserves. He just does so many things well. It will be fun to play with him."
* What will Kaman's game look like in a Blazers uniform: Here's his scouting report: "I'm a utility guy. I don't think I'm a superstar at any one thing, but I'm a well-rounded basketball player and I have a lot of knowledge of the game. ... I shoot the ball well outside, I post-up well. I'm an underrated shot-blocker. And I rebound."
Over his career, Kaman has averaged 11.7 points, 7.9 rebounds and 1.4 blocks, while shooting 49 percent from the field. He was an All-Star with the Clippers in 2009-10, when he averaged 18.5 points and 9.3 rebounds.
* Kaman, 32, is from Michigan and owns an offseason home in Grand Rapids. His wife, Emilie, is four months pregnant with their first child. They don't yet know if it's a boy or a girl, but "in my head, it's a boy," Kaman said, laughing.
* What's next for the Blazers? Olshey entered free agency with just two tools to sign players: A midlevel exception ($5.3 million, up to four years) and a biannual exception ($2.1 million, up to two years). So, barring a trade, his the biannual exception will be his only tool to entice another free agent to Portland.
The 15-man roster now features 14 players:
The first thing that stands out is point guard, where it's obvious Lillard needs a backup. There is a capable crop of free agent point guards still available and there also remains a possibility the Blazers will resign last year's backup, Mo Williams.
Based on conversations I've had with multiple sources, I'm getting mixed signals about his return. Williams said during exit interviews he was looking to land a three-year contract. If he can net that on the free agent market, he's gone. I've read multiple reports suggesting that Dallas is his preferred destination, but a source with knowledge of his thinking told me his camp remains engaged "in conversations with a lot of teams."
The Blazers can offer Williams as much as $3.15 million because he's a "non-Bird Rights Free Agent." But they have no intentions of giving him three years. If it becomes clear Williams will have to settle for a one-or two-year deal, the Blazers would still be contenders.
Another thing to consider — and I'm just throwing this out there — the Blazers have a surplus of bigs. It's possible Olshey could flip one of them in a deal. But, as Blazers fans know better than any other fan base, injuries can decimate depth in a hurry and you can never have too many bigs.
--Joe Freeman | @BlazerFreeman