Andre Miller signs with the Trail Blazers

After seeing Hedo Turkoglu slip through their fingers, and a front-loaded deal with Paul Millsap get matched, the Portland Trail Blazers were beginning to look as though they would be headed into the upcoming season without any major additions. That all changed with Friday's news that free-agent Andre Miller signed a 3-year $21 mil (with the third year a team-option) deal with Portland.Miller was certainly in the upper-echelon of talent in this summer's free-agent crop. He's been a model of consistency over his 10-year career, averaging an impressively well-rounded 14.6 points, 7.4 assists and 4.2 rebounds per game. Miller has also been highly durable, missing a mere three games in the last three seasons. He is an excellent play-maker with solid court vision and precision passes. Although he isn't the most athletic player, Miller has the ability to create his own shot and moves with determined fluidity. Over the years, he's also shown a knack for creative finishes around the hoop. All of this should make any team welcome Miller with open arms, but it's somewhat uncertain how well he will fit into Portland's system.The biggest knock on Miller is his lack of an outside shot. Last year was somewhat of an exception for him, as he knocked down 28 percent of his outside shots (although he only had 53 attempts). But we only have to look at the two previous years where he made a total of four three-pointers at a clip of just over 7 percent. While the Blazers have other outside threats such as Rudy Fernandez and Martell Webster, having such a dud on the perimeter could prove to be costly. With the Blazers having three players who have the potential to draw consistent double-teams (Brandon Roy, LaMarcus Aldridge and Greg Oden), it's critical for them to surround these players with role players who can knock down the open shot - which more often than not will come from the outside. This is what made Steve Blake such a valuable commodity last season as he would go on tears from outside, forcing the opponents to play a more honest game.It will also be interesting to see how well Miller can integrate himself into coach Nate McMillan's defensive mindset. Although Miller is a serviceable defender at the point, he certainly has never been considered to be a lockdown defender (ask Derrick Rose). Interestingly enough, defense at the point guard position has been a glaring weakness for the Blazers, as was abundantly clear in their first-round playoff matchup against Houston. I don't see Miller as a significant defensive upgrade over Blake. Second-year guard Jerryd Bayless seems to have the potential to be a gritty defender in the backcourt, but he has proved to be somewhat foul prone thus far, and hasn't demonstrated the ability to be an effective offensive facilitator. If Miller can gut it out on D, he could be the floor general that McMillan has always dreamed of. What will be interesting is how the Blazers address their current point-guard logjam. Bayless has been eagerly awaiting his opportunity to be the clear-cut backup point and compete for the starting spot, so this signing certainly affects him the most. Blake, on the other hand, would likely accept a backup role quite willingly if it were to benefit the team. In my mind, Blake is the perfect backup point guard - experienced, good shooter, great facilitator and team player. The Blazers may need to make another trade to ensure that the locker room zen is maintained. It will likely come down to how they perceive Bayless' true potential.Sure, there are concerns and potential problems with the Miller signing. It isn't a seamless fit. Not by a long shot. But honestly, I don't think Turkoglu or Millsap were either. What Miller does give the Blazers is an undisputed upgrade in talent. He gives the Blazers another weapon that will add an additional dynamic to the game. I can see Miller orchestrating an up-tempo offense in Portland beautifully, with the occasional lob for an Oden slam. I believe that Miller was the best player left on the market, and his character makes him even more appealing. Portland had to make a move now or wait to make a financially lopsided deal at the trading deadline. Signing Miller now was a sure thing. And signing Miller to a three year deal with a team option for the third year is an excellent deal for Portland. It's a relatively low cost and low risk investment for a team that won 54 games last season, and I think it was a wise signing.