Neil Olshey added four guards to the Blazers this offseason with one goal in mind: more three-point shooting.
He drafted Anfernee Simons and Gary Trent Jr., both of whom displayed their outside shooting in Summer League. Olshey then signed Nik Stauskas and Seth Curry to replace Pat Connaughton and Shabazz Napier. These “upgrades” were intended to save money and improve the team’s perimeter presence.
When looking at Portland’s playoff sweep, the need for three-point shooting becomes clear. The New Orleans Pelicans dared players besides Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum to shoot.