The Trail Blazers have just 14 players with guaranteed salaries – leaving one opening for the regular-season roster.
Greg Stiemsma is entering the competition for it.
Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports:
Free agent center Greg Stiemsma is signing a training camp deal with the Portland Trail Blazers, league source tells @TheVertical.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) September 12, 2016
Stiemsma will battle Tim Quarterman ($75,000 guaranteed), Luis Montero (unguaranteed) and Grant Jerrett (unguaranteed) for that last regular-season roster spot.
On one hand, Stiemsma is by far the most experienced of the bunch. He has played for the Celtics, Timberwolves, Pelicans and Raptors in a four-year NBA career.
On the other hand, he’s already 30 and probably past his physical prime. Known as a shot-blocker – a fair perception over a larger sample – he didn’t reject a single shot in his last NBA stint, 17 games with Toronto in 2014-15. That he played so little is also telling.
Portland is pretty deep with big men: Mason Plumlee, Meyers Leonard, Ed Davis, Noah Vonleh and Festus Ezeli. But Leonard’s and Ezeli’s injuries could open the door for Stiemsma.
