Trail Blazers shootaround: Coach Nate McMillan pieces together starting lineup, team reacts to trade

As the excitement of Thursday’s trade for Gerald Wallace subsides, reality is setting in for the Trail Blazers. And the first dose of this reality will come tonight in the form of the Denver Nuggets.

Wallace, acquired from the Charlotte Bobcats, arrived into Portland Friday morning and was scheduled to undergo a physical before the Blazers' 7:30 tip-off against the Nuggets. However, the Blazers do not expect him to be in uniform.

Add the fact that center Marcus Camby will not play as he continues his rehabilitation from left knee surgery and the Blazers will have just nine healthy players — including zero centers. Coach Nate McMillan said he will slide LaMarcus Aldridge from power forward to center against the Nuggets and start a lineup that includes:

Aldridge, Nicolas Batum, Wesley Matthews, Rudy Fernandez and Andre Miller.

Batum will be the Blazers’ backup center.

“We don’t have a choice,” McMillan said, chuckling, after the Blazers’ morning shootaround. “We only have LaMarcus.”

And Aldridge jokingly rebuffed the notion that he’s a center.

“Don’t call me a center,” he said, smiling. “We’re going to start with two power forwards. I’m power forward No. 1 and Nic is going to be power forward No. 2.”

The Blazers have used this small lineup regularly since Camby has been sidelined, and it has been particularly effective late in games. But McMillan acknowledged that he is concerned about the team’s lack of depth at center. Camby is officially listed day-to-day.

“No question,” McMillan said. “We have to get Wallace in as soon as possible and we need to look at putting another big on the roster.”

As for Wallace, his addition was widely praised by McMillan and Blazers players Friday. McMillan said he has a lot of evaluating and “feeling out” to do to determine exactly how Wallace will fit in the rotation. But he envisions Wallace coming off the bench, at least in the short-term, and plans to play him predominantly at power forward, although Wallace will see time at both forward positions.

Batum, who stands to be impacted the most by Wallace’s addition, embraced the one-time All-Star’s arrival.

“To add a guy like Gerald Wallace to our team is great,” Batum said. “He was an All-Star last year. He’s a big, big, tough player. We know what he can bring on both ends of the floor. It was a great addition for us.”

If anything, Batum said, Wallace will help him in the long-run.

“I can learn a lot from this guy,” Batum said. “He’s one of the best small forwards in the league. He was all-defensive team last year, one of the best rebounders in the league, especially at our position. So I can learn a lot from him. He’s tough, plays with energy, strong. He can be like a model for me.”

Aldridge said news of the trade “stunned” and “surprised” the team. But he’s excited about the possibilities Wallace can provide.

“He’s a big-time player,” Aldridge said. “I think he can make things happen. He’s been there. He’s a vet. He’s mature. He knows how to play the game.”

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