Trail Blazers' Evan Turner: Loses out on bid for starting role

Coach Terry Stotts confirmed Saturday that Maurice Harkless, not Turner, would open the season as the Trail Blazers' starting small forward, Jason Quick of CSN Northwest reports.

Analysis:

Harkless thrived as a member of the top unit late last season and outperformed Turner during the preseason, so it's not terribly surprising that he'll garner the starting nod for Opening Night. That being said, the Blazers didn't sign Turner to a four-year, $70 million deal this offseason to rot off the bench, and the more multi-faceted skill set he offers compared to Harkless and fellow wing Allen Crabbe could end up giving him more overall fantasy value than that duo. Look for Turner to see 25 or more minutes per game while seeing playing time at three different positions.