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Portland Trail Blazers 2015 NBA Season Preview

By Cody Williams

Apr 27, 2015; Portland, OR, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard (0) reacts after making a 3 point basket against the Memphis Grizzlies during the fourth quarter in game four of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at the Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Craig Mitchelldyer-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 27, 2015; Portland, OR, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard (0) reacts after making a 3 point basket against the Memphis Grizzlies during the fourth quarter in game four of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at the Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Craig Mitchelldyer-USA TODAY Sports /
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Apr 27, 2015; Portland, OR, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard (0) reacts after making a 3 point basket against the Memphis Grizzlies during the fourth quarter in game four of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at the Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Craig Mitchelldyer-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 27, 2015; Portland, OR, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard (0) reacts after making a 3 point basket against the Memphis Grizzlies during the fourth quarter in game four of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at the Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Craig Mitchelldyer-USA TODAY Sports /

The Portland Trail Blazers have been in the postseason for the last two years in the middle of the loaded Western Conference. Even thought they were bounced in the first round, this team led by young up-and-coming superstar Damian Lillard and perennial All-Star forward LaMarcus Aldridge, the Trail Blazers seemed like a team that could win 50 or more games for the next decade or so if they kept that core and the pieces around them together.

However, that’s not the way that the NBA works and everything has been blown up in Portland coming into the 2015-16 NBA season. LaMarcus Aldridge has moved on to his new role with the San Antonio Spurs, the Trail Blazers traded Nicolas Batum in exchange for a prospect and a complimentary piece, Robin Lopez signed with the New York Knicks, and Wesley Matthews signed with the Dallas Mavericks.

Of the team that went 51-31 last season, Lillard is the only returning starter. Coming into the 2015-16 NBA season, the Trail Blazers core is going to be composed of Lillard and a slew of young, unproven players that have either been growing over the past few seasons in Portland or that they brought in during free agency this offseason. That’s a drastic change in direction for this team.

With that kind of turnover from one season to the next, you obviously have to expect a different trajectory for the Trail Blazers in the upcoming season. We don’t know how these younger players are going to perform, but you have to assume given the track record of this type of transitional period for teams that there will be noticeable growing pains for those players and this Portland team as a whole this season.

We can obviously expect the Trail Blazers to be centered on Damian Lillard this season after he signed his max extension with the team this summer and has already established himself as a potentially elite player in the NBA. It’s how players like Meyers Leonard, C.J. McCollum, and so on will perform that should ultimately determine what happens with the Trail Blazers this season.

It’s all coming up question marks with the Trail Blazers this season after the immense changes that have affected their roster. There are a few familiar faces, but this is pretty clearly going to look like a completely different team in terms of personnel and performance this season than it has over the past couple of seasons. Let’s look at where they stand and what could happen with the Portland Trail Blazers this season.

Next: Best and Worst Offseason Moves

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