NBA Rumors: Portland's Three-point Woes Could Be Solved With Griffin Or Love Trade

After coming up short against the Warriors last season on a one-sided Western Conference Finals affair, the Blazers are looking for revenge this year. Undoubtedly, Damian Lillard and the gang have set their eyes on the prize, especially with the addition of an elite rim protector named Hassan Whiteside.

However, the polarizing big man still hasn't developed an active perimeter game, a skill that has been enjoyed by many bigs in today's NBA. In fact, the Blazers have trouble stretching the floor this year with Jusuf Nurkic and Whiteside attempting zero threes last season.

Luckily, Zach Collins shot 33.1 percent last season, but his production is still far from most of the league's elite centers. Anthony Tolliver's arrival will also help them from deep, he drained 81 out 215 three-point attempts and shot a respectable 37.7 clip for the 2018-2019 season.

Meanwhile, Collins was able to convert 40 out of 121 three-point attempts. Still, a far cry from Brook Lopez's 187 out of 512 clip and Karl Anthony Town's accuracy, shooting a 40 percent average behind the arc.

As a team last season, Portland was able to convert 904 threes and ranked 17 among other NBA teams. Most of the shots were taken by Lillard and McCollum, draining 404 three-point baskets out of 1,088 attempts.

Portland desperately needs added firepower, primarily when several defenders cover Damian and CJ down the lane. The solution? Add a premier stretch five that could free up space on the offensive end.

Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report has a proposed trade that could change the tides in the Blazer's favor. He said that Kevin Love could become "a complementary contributor at one of those frontcourt spots."

Love would bring in championship experience for the young team while offering a solid pick and roll game at the key. Kevin is also one of the league's best rebounding power forwards in the league when healthy, plus he grew up in Oregon.

Buckley said that Portland could offer, Hassan Whiteside, Zach Collins and a 2022 second-round pick for Kevin Love. The Blazers are in a win-now situation, and the added firepower means so much, particularly in the playoffs.

In 657 career games, Love averaged 18.3 points, 11.3 rebounds, and 2.3 assists while shooting 44.2 percent at the field and 37 percent behind the arc.

In case that the trade doesn't work out, Buckley also said that the Blazers could offer Hassan Whiteside, Zach Collins, Gary Trent Jr. and future picks for Blake Griffin. Although Griffin is not precisely a center, the 30-year-old athletic forward posted career-best averages last season.

He was one of eight players to put up 24 points, five assists, and two triples per game, while having a 4.6 box plus/minus stat. He also drained 189 threes out of 522 attempts, making him one of the best three-point shooting bigs in the league.

In both packages, the Blazers could add a third superstar in the mix that could take off the offensive pressure from Dame and CJ. The addition of a stretch four or five could ease up space on the block, making it easier for the backcourt to penetrate inside the lane.