The Trail Blazers entered the summer in search of a rim protector, which led to them landing the services of Festus Ezeli. Things didn’t exactly go according to plan for Neil Olshey though, as Portland’s first set of targets ended up signing with other teams. Ezeli became available after the Warriors acquired Kevin Durant, which led to the Trail Blazers being unlikely benefactors. Finally securing an anchor for the defense isn’t the only reason why Trail Blazers fans should be excited about Ezeli’s arrival, as the big man could correct Portland’s messy injury history.
In an alternate universe, Greg Oden is entering another season as a defensive stalwart for the Trail Blazers.