The Portland Trail Blazers are adding a backcourt piece with just a couple of weeks away from the start of training camp. According to reports, the Blazers agreed to a training camp deal with Archie Goodwin. The shooting guard is coming off a season in which he suited up for two teams. These are the New Orleans Pelicans and the Brooklyn Nets. He saw action in only three games for the Pelicans. In his time with the Nets, he played in 12 games. Overall, he averaged 7.3 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per contest.
Before Goodwin joined the Pelicans and the Nets in the 2016-17 season, he was with the Phoenix Suns for three years.
They selected him with the 29th pick in the 2013 NBA Draft. During his stay in Phoenix, he was a member of the second unit, which is a role he will likely have with the Blazers if he survives the cut. The 23-year-old's best outing with the Suns was in the 2015-16 season when he averaged career-highs 8.9 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 2.1 assists a game.
C.J. McCollum's backup
If Goodwin succeeds in making it to Portland's final roster, he may be the new backup of C.J. McCollum. Last season, behind McCollum on the depth chart at shooting guard was Allen Crabbe. However, in July, the Blazers decided to part ways with Crabbe. They shipped the 25-year-old to Brooklyn in exchange for Andrew Nicholson (waived on August 30).
The departure of Crabbe leaves McCollum without a backup.
Cavaliers reunite with John Holland
The Cleveland Cavaliers are not yet done making moves this offseason. On Friday, general manager Koby Altman announced that the Cavs signed John Holland to a two-way deal. It is not the first time that the forward is joining last season's runners-up.
In 2016, Holland was with the Cavaliers in training camp but got axed. Following this, the 28-year-old played for the organization's NBA G-League affiliate, the Canton Charge. He performed splendidly for the Charge and helped the squad make it to the playoffs for the sixth consecutive year. Unfortunately, Raptors 905 eliminated Canton in the first round.
Holland's new pact will bring him back to Canton, though he will have a total of 45 days to spend in Cleveland. NBA.com mentioned in its report that he is the first player to ink a two-way contract with the Cavaliers, who still have one more two-way deal to give. Holland looks like an assurance for the Cavs, with Iman Shumpert rumored to be asking for a trade.
