The Portland Trail Blazers are in a tough spot this offseason. They have been eliminated in the first round again despite another spectacular season by Damian Lillard. CJ McCollum had his best season yet while Jusuf Nurkic was mostly in good health. The Blazers gained a lot of flexibility after having the last remnants of 2016 contracts expire, allowing them to get aggressive and acquire veterans Robert Covington and Norman Powell.
This starting unit hasn’t played together for very long, suggesting that there is room for improvement. Perhaps a new head coach and an improved bench can push them further in the playoffs. On the other hand, it is possible that we’ve seen the best from this group due to potential age-related regression and future lack of flexibility with several of these players due for raises. Also, if this is the best we’ll see from this group, the temptation to extract maximum value for these players and jump-start a rebuild will loom.
Whether they realize it or not, Portland is at a crossroads. Their coaching search has already taken an awkward turn with Lillard’s public support for Jason Kidd, and his future in Portland is already being questioned with other teams monitoring him. While the rumors may or may not grow as we get closer to the offseason, at this point, it is fair to weigh if the Blazers should continue competing with this core or rebuild.