Portland Trailblazers Should Seek a Legitimate Floor General in Andre Miller

Throughout this season, the Portland Trailblazers have far exceeded most experts' expectations. Before the season began, Portland learned that it would be without the services of the NBA's No. 1 overall draft pick, center Greg Oden, due to micro-fracture surgery on his knee. At that moment, most felt the team from the Rose City's playoff chances would wilt and die. However, since the emergence of all-star shooting guard Brandon Roy, forward/center LaMarcus Aldridge and others, Coach Nate McMillan has the Blazers in contention for the top spot in the NBA's Northwest Division.

Portland, which has the distinction of being the NBA's youngest team, has received significant contributions from practically everyone on their roster to make it seem like a bunch of veterans are taking the floor. Forward Martell Webster's, whose early season shooting got the team off and rolling, secured the team's small forward position after a tremendous pre-season battle with Travis Outlaw. Outlaw, the team's third leading scorer, has emerged onto the scene with his electric play, clutch shooting and tremendous athleticism is very much on the radar as a player of most every general managers in the league. Center Joel Pryzbilla has been a defensive force for the Blazers all season. Forward James James, who was acquired from Phoenix via trade this summer, has settled into his sharpshooter role and is currently amongst the league leaders in three point field goal percentage. Jarret Jack and Steve Blake have taken their turn running the point and Channing Frye has become a serviceable big man after coming over from New York via trade for much maligned forward Zach Randolph. With the return of Oden next year, the Blazers seemed primed to make a run for an NBA championship in the years to come. So what could possibly stop them?

For one thing, for the most part, they are all kids. Of the players who receive substantial minutes, only Joel Pryzbilla has more than five full years of NBA experience under his belt. Many of their players have never chartered into the NBA post-season and are not aware of what it takes to succeed in the playoffs. As good of a job as Nate McMillan is doing, they need a floor general to guide them along the way.

Enter Andre Miller. Andre Miller is currently jettisoned on the roster of the Philadelphia 76ers, who are going nowhere .... in the Eastern Conference. If Isiah Thomas wasn't busy running the New York Knicks straight into the ground, the Sixers would be last in their division. Miller has been a steady court presence for the likes of emerging youngsters such as Andre Iguodala, Samuel Dalembert, Louis Williams and Rodney Carney. A steady performer throughout his career, Miller has been among the league leaders in assists for many years, he has been a solid rebounder for a guard and has always brought very tough defense to the court.

Right now the Blazers are coming into their own, developing their own identity. Brandon Roy is quickly taking his team to the upper echelon of the NBA's Western Conference. With the arrival of Greg Oden next season, it won't take a long learning curve before the Blazers understand how to win. Why would the Blazers not want to accelerate that learning curve?

Forward Darius Miles hasn't been in the Blazers' plans for a couple of years now. Sergio Rodriguez and Jarret Jack are going to need a couple of years to develop. Jack also needs to determine what his position is. By offering the 76ers a trade package of Darius Miles, Jarret Jack, Sergio Rodriguez, forward/center Joel Freeland, an emerging summer league big man prospect from Great Britain and a second round pick, the 76ers will be getting young prospects that can learn and grow with their current team and maybe do some damage in a couple of years. Darius Miles, who is coming off micro-fracture surgery himself, may or may not be an effective NBA player upon his return. It is a risk but Miles, who is only 27 years of age, could return to become the caliber player he was before the injury and created that type of player value for themselves or the Sixers have the added fact that his contract comes off the books the same year that Andre Miller does and Miller is probably not in their long term plans anyhow.

So a proposed trade of Andre Miller and guard Louis Amundsen from the Sixers for Darius Miles, Jarret Jack, Sergio Rodriguez, Joel Freeland and a draft choice would in turn make sense for both teams. The Sixers can continue developing their nucleus of young players and Portland can get their steady floor leader to take the load off of Brandon Roy on offense and help them get to their ultimate destination of an NBA championship that much faster. Obtain Miller, move Blake to the backup and the Blazers will have little worries at the point guard position.