The way Ed Davis sees it, the Trail Blazers offer the best of both worlds.

If they re-sign All-Star LaMarcus Aldridge and underrated center Robin Lopez, Davis will have the chance to be a rotation player on a playoff-contending team. And if the Blazers can't bring back those frontcourt anchors, well, Davis has a chance to carve out a far more prominent role.

"I think there's a good chance that they're going to lose LaMarcus and Lopez," Davis told The Oregonian/OregonLive, detailing what made Portland attractive. "It's definitely a team I feel like I can come in and get playing time and fight for a starting job. It's a great fit for me."

The Blazers on Thursday verbally agreed to a 3-year, $20 million contract with Davis, an unrestricted free agent entering his sixth NBA season. After striking out on coveted big man Greg Monroe, President of Basketball Operations Neil Olshey moved on to Plan B, landing an athletic and rangy 6-foot-10, 240-pound power forward.

Davis' addition falls in line with other signings Olshey has made this offseason in that it straddles the delicate balance of planning for the unknown. It may not be a sexy move that, as Olshey likes to say, "moves the needle," but it keeps the Blazers' options open.

If Aldridge -- and Lopez -- return, Davis would become an interesting and key component of the rotation in the frontcourt, adding grit, hustle and energy to the Blazers' second unit. But if Aldridge, who continues to flirt with teams interested in prying him away from Portland, decides to go elsewhere, Davis would be a part of a rebuilding Blazers group that features a young core and plenty of athleticism.

Davis, 26, averaged 8.3 points, a career-high 7.6 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game, while shooting 60 percent from the field, last season for the Los Angles Lakers. In five seasons, Davis has averaged 7.2 points and 6.3 rebounds for the Toronto Raptors, Memphis Grizzlies and Lakers.

Known as a tenacious rebounder and crafty interior scorer, Davis said he also provides a heavy dose of heart and toughness.

"I'm going to go out and grind," Davis said. "I'm not shooting a whole bunch of threes and things like that. But I'm going to grind every night, I'm going to dive for that loose ball, get that extra possession, make a big block. I'm one of those energy guys. I'm going to bring it every night. That's my main thing."

Davis said he loves to operate out of the pick-and-roll, where he can crash to the basket for dunks and layups and lobs. Along with newly-acquired center Mason Plumlee, Davis will add a new dimension to the Blazers next season, providing All-Star point guard Damian Lillard an athletic big man who likes to crash the hoop and score at the rim.

"I prefer the pick and roll, diving to the rim and finishing around the rim," Davis said. "I guess one of my strengths is being able to finish at the rim. And on defense, I block shots, defend the pick-an-roll, do the dirty work. On top of that, going into my sixth year, I just know how to play. I've been around the league and seen a lot. I just think this is a perfect fit for what I'm trying to accomplish in my career."

Davis spoke with coach Terry Stotts about 10 minutes before he spoke with The Oregonian/Oregonlive, but he said his new coach couldn't offer many details about his role next season because the Blazers' roster remained in flux. That fact didn't concern Davis, who said he's willing to do whatever is asked of him no matter what the roster looks like.

"I'm someone that Coach can depend on every night," Davis said. "He knows exactly what he's going to get from me. I'm just going to go hard every chance I'm out there, give 110 percent effort. I'm going to crash the glass hard and give it everything I have --on the court, off the court, in practice in the weight room -- every day."

And what about Aldridge and Lopez? Davis, like a host of other rumored reports, suggested that the frontcourt duo is leaving Portland.

Does he have any inside information?

"That's just my gut feeling," he said, laughing. "I'm just a regular person, reading on twitter and the Internet like everybody else. They might be back. You never know."

--Joe Freeman | jfreeman@oregonian.com | 503-294-5183 | @BlazerFreeman