Keeping It Heel
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Heels in the NBA: Best fits for UNC’s Marcus Paige

By Horran Cameron

Apr 4, 2016; Houston, TX, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard Marcus Paige (5) walks past a wall with a mural prior to the game against the Villanova Wildcats in the championship game of the 2016 NCAA Men
Apr 4, 2016; Houston, TX, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard Marcus Paige (5) walks past a wall with a mural prior to the game against the Villanova Wildcats in the championship game of the 2016 NCAA Men /
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Portland Trailblazers 

May 11, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard (0) shoots the basketball against Golden State Warriors guard Shaun Livingston (34) during the second quarter in game five of the second round of the NBA Playoffs at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
May 11, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard (0) shoots the basketball against Golden State Warriors guard Shaun Livingston (34) during the second quarter in game five of the second round of the NBA Playoffs at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /

Portland surprised everyone last season with their backcourt of Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum. Expectations were low for Portland, due to losing Nicolas Batum to the Charlotte Hornets and LaMarcus Aldridge to the San Antonio Spurs.

Backup shooting guard Allen Crabbe will be fielding calls this summer because he is a restricted free agent. This means that Portland can match any team’s offer to Crabbe; that is if they choose.

Portland could decide to draft Paige and let Crabbe walk. The emergence of Maurice “Mo” Harkless makes Crabbe expendable, although it might be difficult replacing his outside shooting.

Crabbe’s absence would hurt Portland, but bringing in another shooter like Paige to add to their crowded shooting guard group consisting of Gerald Henderson and Pat Connaughton is a wise move. Henderson and Connaughton are not known as shooters, which is a good sign for Paige.

Likewise, Paige is a good complement to Lillard and McCollum. Imagine seeing a three-guard lineup in Portland. They might be short, but with small ball dominating the NBA landscape, Portland could have their own version of a “Run and Gun” offense.

Lillard’s backup is Brian Roberts, whose skill set is limited. In Portland, Paige would probably be used more as a backup point guard in this case…until he proved himself worthy of more minutes.

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