BLAZERS SIGN ANDRE MILLER

The Portland Trailblazers have picked up an experienced point guard, signing unrestricted free agent Andre Miller.  Miller played with the Philadelphia 76ers last season, but rejected the team’s overtures for a one year deal.  Portland will pay the former University of Utah standout $21 million over three seasons.  Two of the three years are guaranteed for a total of $14 million, with a team option for a third season for another $7 million.

Miller is a good fit for the Blazers in several areas, not the least of which is providing much needed veteran leadership on an otherwise very young—and very talented—roster.  He serves as a good compliment to Steve Blake, the team’s 2008-2009 starting pointguard as Miller provides a physical dimension that Blake does not.  Miller is able to contribute a post up threat, using his size and strength to overpower opponent’s backcourt defenders.  His durability was also not lost on Portland—Miller has played in 530 consecutive games, the current longest such streak in the league.  He has missed only three games due to injury in his entire NBA career.

Another consideration in signing Miller was to allow All Star Brandon Roy to play more ‘away from the ball’ by freeing him from much of his playmaking responsibility.  Blake is more of a perimeter threat, and much of the time Roy became the de facto point guard.  The thinking among the Blazers’ brass is that with Miller in the lineup it will allow Roy to focus more on his considerable offensive skills.

Blazers’ GM Kevin Pritchard was highly complementary of Miller in a statement announcing the deal:

“He is one of the league's ironmen who brings a wealth of veteran leadership to our team and is a great fit for our young and improving roster.”
 
In particular, Pritchard was impressed with Miller’s knowledge of the intricacies of the Blazer offense:

"Andre was terrific. He knew our team. He knew how he could help our team. He seemed like a coach.”

Known as one of the league’s top ‘character guys’, Miller should quickly become a favorite of the passionate fans in ‘The Rose City’.   He expressed his excitement at joining one of the league’s up and coming teams in a conference call following the announcement of the deal:

"I'm just looking forward to the challenge, you know? I know Portland wants to accomplish a lot of things, and I want to add to that."

Prior to signing Miller, Portland had made a concerted run at New York Knicks’ free agent forward David Lee.  The thinking was that Lee could provide a more physical, defensive style of play at the power forward position to compliment the more finesse oriented game of LaMarcus Aldridge.  Some Blazers’ observers suggest, however, that the interest in Lee as well as the offer tendered to Utah Jazz restricted free agent Paul Milsap (which the Jazz eventually matched) was more of a negotiating tactic.  The team is trying to sign Aldridge to a longterm extension and some suggest the sudden interest in the power forward position was meant to send a signal that the team has options at the position.