Although they're all in the house watching the NBA Playoffs in the comfort of their areas, it isn't all dangerous to the Portland Trail Blazers.
With an aspiring legend at point guard and some other solid pieces on the roster, the Blazers seem to be very close to getting fringe playoff team. With a few tweaks every now and then, there's no question we'll be contemplating yet another youthful upstart squad within the Western Conference a chicago the Golden State Players.
Free agency is great for a while, but nothing beats adding prospects you can actually build around for the future. Portland will have three picks to work with, and while no you are likely to confuse this collection of talent with the 2003 NBA draft, the inventors available in the to begin with round aren't exactly scrubs.
The NBA draft lottery has yet to happen, but there are already whispers regarding the Blazers, wherever they may end up in the draft order, using their eyes set upon UCLA prospect Shabazz Muhammad. After striking gold with Damian Lillard a year ago, the Blazers would want to have yet another impact rookie on their backcourt.
In terms associated with scoring, Portland needs assistance. Adding an offensive tool like Shabazz, who averaged 18 points per game inside his one season at UCLA, could improve ones own mediocre production. The hope for the Blazers is that Muhammad would establish chemistry with Lillard and the two could be the foundation for a solid future.
As far since their remaining picks? Some draft analysts keep these things targeting Nate Wolters and Alex Abrines—two guards who does further bolster their backcourt in the but will spend their rookie seasons within the D-League.
All in many, Portland's primary impact with this draft will hinge how patient they are with Muhammad. He has all the talent on the earth, but it largely will depend on how he fits in with the likes of LaMarcus Aldridge, Damian Lillard among others.
In addition to the team's focus on getting younger, the Blazers have a few contracts that need working out. With numerous expired contracts, trimming some fat would provide a lot of much-needed cap flexibility.
Hickson was the team's leading rebounder, mostly as a consequence of his incredibly high powerplant. Portland cannot afford to misplace Hickson, so again, inking him even to another deal is priority primary.
On the other give, guys like Elliot Williams, Sasha Pavlovic (team option) and Nolan Smith does not really be retained. It would also add up for the Blazers to brew a qualifying offer to Eric Maynor, who's a good all round reserve player and a nice complement to Lillard. Except Maynor and Hickson, the majority of these empty contracts are to get players making questionable contributions to your team.
The Blazers would be better off going out and trying to have a Jarrett Jack or Nate Robinson along with the freed up cap house. Yes, you'll have fewer bodies within the rotation, but Portland could really make use of a gunner like a Jack or Robinson coming from the bench—guards or wings capable of playing isolation offense. This team really lacked a punch should the first unit sat all the way down, but an electrifying reserve scorer who knows his role will be a nice pick-up. However, that will mean you'd have to erase the memory of matching Maynor's contract.
It's still a little too early to project which the upcoming offseason will have fun with out, but Portland's primary targets should be letting one particular lesser contracts walk and signing critical reserve.
Most people would consider a bad record, and they'd stop wasting time to blame the head coach for ones team's failures.
Yes, on the list of down season, but top of your head coach Terry Stotts, who just finished his first year for the helm, did a good job with the pieces with which he had to work.
Names just like Stan Van Gundy, Brian Shaw and Phil Jackson are most likely being mentioned in you can find front office in need associated with a coach, but this franchise isn't one of these. Stotts should be given a lot more time to work utilizing this type of squad, as it appeared to respond to his easy-going, teacher-like strategy. The Blazers are teen, and they still must be chiseled into form.
Not like a team with proven veterans, this unit isn't needing a Zen Master to mentally manipulate them into contenders overnight; this can be described as team that just requires a teacher like Stotts, who can correct their own errors and build these young players money.
Would the playoffs be a realistic goal for the following team? Yes, absolutely. The Western Conference—especially that seventh and eighth seeds—is completely available. Anything can happen inside the NBA, and although it depends, this team shouldn't be too hung high on missing or making the postseason right now and time.
Stotts need to have this team shooting to get a. 500 record—or at least an important improvement on last year's log. For Stotts, being some sort of teacher means being client.
Right now, they're somewhere in the crawling and jogging phase, but when Lillard and the rest of these young guns eventually get more NBA experience and self esteem under their belts, you can rest assured they you will need to run way past the expectations that people will have set for them.
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