A dinner gathering had been set-up as cover. A cameraman was hiding in the bushes in the backyard. A set of grandparents and best friends were on hand to celebrate.

The setting was perfect, the moment had arrived. So Jake Layman turned to his longtime girlfriend Jasmine and asked if she wanted to go for a stroll in the backyard.

Soon, the Portland Trail Blazers' forward was down on one knee, holding a sparkling engagement ring, asking for a wife.

"Immediate tears," Layman said, chuckling, as he recalled the moment. "She had no clue. She was just so caught off guard. It was really a beautiful moment and it couldn't have gone any better than it did."

It was a life-changing summer for Layman, who, in addition to scoring a partner for life, excelled at Las Vegas Summer League and had the final year of his rookie contract guaranteed by the Blazers.

It's no wonder that as he heads into his third season in Portland, Layman can't stop uttering the word "maturing" during interviews to describe himself and his status. He's the latest in a line of second-round Blazers draft picks to enter his third season primed for a breakout and he says he's as confident, capable and prepared as ever. After grinding outside of the spotlight for two years, improving, evolving and learning to be a professional, Layman says he now knows he belongs in the NBA and is eager to prove it.

"I've worked really hard on my all-around game," he said. "I've never been more ready for what's ahead and I'm ready to show you guys what I've been working on."

Layman showed notable improvement in Las Vegas, where he averaged 13.4 points and 4.4 rebounds, while shooting 57 percent from the field, as the Blazers won a summer league championship. Then he drew buzz at media day, when Neil Olshey, the Blazers' President of Basketball Operations, touted Layman's work in the summer.

"He's been terrific," Olshey said. "He's stronger. He's more confident with the ball. He's had a great September playing with our guys. He's a guy that I can tell you everyone in my front office breathes a sigh of relief watching him every day that we didn't let him go ... From a talent standpoint, he's really gifted and it's starting to click for him."

It certainly clicked Wednesday night, when the Blazers breezed to a 116-83 win over the Phoenix Suns in an exhibition game at the Moda Center.

Layman started in place of the injured Moe Harkless and sparkled, recording 28 points, four rebounds and three assists in 29 minutes. He had a dominant first quarter, scoring 18 points, and a lethal shooting night, making 10 of 14 shots, including 5 of 7 three-pointers. He's talked throughout the preseason about his defense and how his play on that side of the ball will ultimately define whether or not he earns a spot in the rotation this season. And, sure enough, he started his barrage of scoring with a nifty steal on the wing, after which he streaked the other way for a fast-break dunk. Then he was off.

Layman swished a three-pointer two minutes later, earned free throws through drives to the hoop on the Blazers' next two possessions, then drained another three with 3:24 left, giving the Blazers a 25-14 lead. Later, as the Blazers excelled without three starters and another rotation player against the meager Suns, Layman hit threes off screens, collected assists on drive-and-dishes and nailed free throw jumpers over defenders.

Afterward, a member of the Blazers' radio broadcast team told Layman they looked it up and thought it was his highest scoring outing since his final game in high school. Layman, a laid-back and unassuming man of few words, laughed at the note and said he thought it was "some weird research." And he was right in that what truly mattered wasn't the final stat line but rather the way he played, the way he looked, the way he felt.

After two years of working behind the scenes, Layman threw himself into workouts again this summer, practically living at the practice facility in Tualatin. His goals: improve everything. Ball-handling. Shooting. Defense. Athleticism. Because of that, because he's entering his third season, because he sees a chance to earn minutes, Layman looks different.

"I don't think it's a confidence thing," he said. "I think it's just me maturing every year. I've always had confidence. It's just me taking my game to the next level each and every year."

Coach Terry Stotts has mentioned throughout training camp that he has some "difficult choices" to make when it comes to his player rotation. With one week and one exhibition game remaining, it seems that Seth Curry, Nik Stauskas, Zach Collins and Evan Turner will occupy the main roles off the bench. Meyers Leonard, who quietly has played well behind the scenes, also could be in line for minutes at backup center. How does Layman fit in?

"I'm not the one to be able to answer that," he said. "I really don't know. I'm just going to do whatever I'm asked and try to play my best when I'm out there. It's obviously a contract year for me. So whenever I'm out there, I'm just giving it all I have. It might not be 30 minutes a night. But if it's 16, then I've got to give it all for that 16 minutes I'm on the floor."

The uncertain health of Harkless certainly will play a part in Layman's playing time. The Blazers' starting small forward has missed parts of camp -- and all four exhibition games -- because of lingering left knee pain. Layman has started three of the four games and played regularly with the starting lineup in practice during camp, so he could be in line to soak up some of Harkless' minutes should he miss any regular season time.

If Layman does carve out a role, he would join the likes of Will Barton, Allen Crabbe and Pat Connaughton as former second-round picks to emerge during their third NBA season.

But unlike those old teammates, Layman will do so alongside Jasmine.

The two met in college, at the University of Maryland. She was a senior cheerleader. He was a freshman on the basketball team. They met through mutual friends and became attached at the hip.

Now, nearly six years later, they're engaged. The wedding is scheduled for next summer at the chapel on campus at Maryland, where it all started.

"It was a long time coming," Layman said of the engagement. "I couldn't be happier."

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