"It's going to help them out a lot," Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant said. "He and Brandon Roy in the backcourt together? I was just telling my brother the other day, 'That's going to be a monster.'"
The Blazers on Friday signed the former Philadelphia 76ers point guard to what is believed to be a three-year, $21 million contract. The move addressed one of the Blazers' major offseason goals of adding an experienced point guard capable of taking some of the scoring pressure off Roy and forward LaMarcus Aldridge.
"He took a lot of pressure off me," Philadelphia forward Andre Iguodala said. "My scoring went up, but I took fewer shots. The game was easy and I didn't have to work as hard. He made it easy for all of us.
"Those guys are going to love him. Roy and Aldridge's games are going to go up to another level. Everybody's game is going to step up because of Andre."
Miller averaged 16.3 points, 6.5 assists and 4.5 rebounds for Philadelphia last season. He has averages 14.6 points, 4.2 rebounds and 7.4 assists in 10 NBA seasons. Miller is not a great perimeter shooter, but he is a very capable finisher near the basket. The 33-year-old has slowed considerably since Cleveland selected him eighth overall in the 1999 draft, but he has proven he is capable of creating his own shot.
"He's deceptively athletic. He's not gonna wow you with dunking over people," New York Knicks forward David Lee said. "He knows what to do using shot fakes and using deception. Just at the time you think he can't finish in the lane, he shoots a floater over you. When you think he can't shoot, he's hitting the little 15-footers over you."
The Blazers hope Miller provides the intangibles and veteran leadership the team lacked last season and was seeking this summer. Roy, entering his fourth season, is clearly the team leader, but Miller is entering his 11th NBA campaign.
"He has the same demeanor, he doesn't change and plays the same way," Iguodala said. "The same risky pass he makes in the first quarter, he'll make in the fourth quarter and he'll complete it. When you get into situations that are really tense -- where it's a last-second shot or the game is really emotional -- you look to your point guard. That takes a lot of pressure off his teammates."
Miller will join what is now a crowded point guard position with incumbent starter Steve Blake and second-year player Jerryd Bayless.
With two point guards capable of starting, some might wonder if the Blazers have too much talent. The assumption is Miller will start and Blake will come off the bench. However, the Blazers won 54 games with Blake as the starter -- does coach Nate McMillan want to mess with success? And it's highly likely Blake would view the change as a demotion and wonder why he's coming off the bench after a solid season.
"We went through it last year with Jermaine O'Neal and Chris Bosh," Toronto Raptors coach Jay Triano said. "We never really found a comfort level. People must put their egos aside and understand and do what's right for the team."
A hypothetical second unit of Miller, Martell Webster (assuming he's healthy), Rudy Fernandez, Travis Outlaw and Greg Oden or Joel Przybilla could potentially be very potent. Miller gives the Blazers versatility and options. McMillan can tinker with lineups until he finds a winning combination. And with so much talent, everyone except Roy and possibly Aldridge should not feel secure about their roles and minutes.
"You need versatility on your team," Triano said. "That's a problem every coach would love to have."
Miller's teammates in Philadelphia said they were sad to see him leave the 76ers to join the Blazers.
"'Dre was one of the best guys I ever played with," forward Thaddeus Young said. "'Dre was a great guy to have on the court and around the locker room."
Notes: Minnesota Timberwolves general manager David Kahn returned from Spain Friday and said discussions with Ricky Rubio's former team for the point guard's release were "productive." Kahn dismissed the rumor that Rubio was going to sign with Real Madrid. "I don't think that is true," Kahn said. ... Kahn also said he's conducting second interviews with a "small group" of coaching candidates. He declined to say if Portland assistant Monty Williams is among the group. Previously mentioned candidates include assistant coaches Elston Turner of Houston, Kurt Rambis of the Los Angeles Lakers and Terry Stotts of Dallas, and television analyst Mark Jackson.
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