The only thing the Portland Trail Blazers gained from their playoff sweep last season at the hands of the New Orleans Pelicans was learning that they don’t have the depth to legitimately compete in the Western Conference at this point. But there is hope. Despite the fact that the team remains largely the same as last season, they have a bevy of promising young players who could help the team in the coming years.
With the Western Conference getting even tougher this upcoming season, thanks to LeBron James signing with the Lakers, this current Blazers squad may be able to scrap together enough wins to earn the seventh or eighth seed in the playoffs, only to serve as a sacrificial lamb in the first round.