The Portland Trail Blazers are still aiming to sneak into the NBA Playoffs this season. However, they have fallen from their once lofty perch in the Western Conference. Remember that this team sat atop the West way back in October. Right now, though, the Blazers currently tote a 28-30 win-loss record. That is good enough to put them in 12th place in the West. Of course, take note that there are just 4.5 games separating the West's third-seed (Sacramento Kings) from the Blazers. Anything can still happen, but Portland certainly needs a strong finish to the season to make it to the top 10. What's next for the Blazers? Here are some bold Blazers predictions for the rest of their season after the 2023 NBA All-Star Break.
As the 2022-23 NBA season moves into the post-All-Star Break phase, the Blazers find themselves slightly below average with a two-game deficit. However, they are just half a game behind 10th place in the Western Conference. This gives them a chance to enter the Play-In Tournament with a decent run in their remaining 24 games. The presence of Damian Lillard on the court obviously gives them hope in a one-or-two-and-done scenario. On the other hand, a poor run could result in a high draft pick for the 2023 NBA Draft, following the selection of Shaedon Sharpe as the No. 7 pick in the previous year. Portland's next move depends on which direction they want to go and how they plan to prepare its current roster for the future. That's a task that lies with general manager Joe Cronin, head coach Chauncey Billups, and Lillard himself.
Now, let's look at our Blazers bold predictions for the rest of their season.
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4. Young guys get more minutes
Whether the Blazers aim for a playoff spot or not, coach Billups may want to give his younger players more playing time. If the team decides to tank, Billups could give Shaedon Sharpe, Trendon Watford, Cam Reddish, Matisse Thybulle, and Jabari Walker more opportunities to play. Remember that they have shown promise in their performances so far. Sharpe, in fact, has been averaging 14 points per game after the trade deadline. Meanwhile, Reddish has been connecting on 41.2 percent of his 5.7 3-point attempts per night. For his part, Thybulle has displayed an offensive game not seen before his arrival from the Philadelphia 76ers. Watford has also performed well since he was pressed into playing center.
Giving these young players more minutes will not only help accelerate their development but also allow the Blazers to assess what they can do. Take note that most of them are restricted free agents after the season. Additionally, pulling back on Lillard's workload and giving more possessions and shots to other players would theoretically increase Portland's chances of obtaining a higher lottery selection.
3. Blazers fail to make the playoffs
Portland's intentions for the rest of the season will be revealed through their cautiousness in bringing back Anfernee Simons, Jusuf Nurkic, and Jerami Grant from injury. If the Blazers are no longer playing for a play-in spot, these players can rest. That will likely give more playing time to accelerate their younger teammates' development, potentially leading to a higher lottery selection. However, this does not guarantee a lot of losses as they are still capable of helping the team win games.
On the other hand, if the Blazers aim to make the playoffs, they must start winning games immediately. Again, keep in mind that the third-seeded Kings are just 4.5 games ahead of them. As the team adjusts to the post-trade deadline roster, they have a better chance of playing well together and achieving good results. The games in the upcoming weeks become crucial if the Blazers are serious about making a late-season run.
2. Damian Lillard rumors fill offseason headlines
Nearly a year ago, Damian Lillard vowed to return to the 2022-23 season in the “best shape” of his career. Despite his well-earned reputation for keeping his word, it seemed unlikely for a 32-year-old with over 28,000 minutes under his legs. With 24 regular season games remaining, the jury is still out on whether Lillard has achieved his goal, but he has shown that he is either on par or close to it. Since the start of 2023, Lillard has been the most effective scorer in the league. In fact, he has averaged 35 points per game with impressive efficiency percentages.
However, despite Lillard's performance, the Blazers remain under .500 for the season. This leads to questions about the future and whether Lillard will ever have All-Star teammates to support him. While there are more highlights and observations, these questions remain unanswered. In fact, we believe those questions will linger well into the 2023 offseason. Once more, we'll have our headlines and feeds populated by rumors of Lillard's possible departure from Portland. And once more, he'll make a strong commitment to this organization, as he always has.
1. Blazers swing for the fences in the offseason.
Missing the playoffs may have a silver lining for the Portland Trail Blazers, particularly if the New York Knicks secure a playoff spot. This would actually give the Blazers two first-round picks in the upcoming NBA draft. As such, Portland would have a stronger opportunity to trade the Knicks' pick to the Chicago Bulls, in exchange for removing the protections on the Blazers' own pick owed to Chicago. This, in turn, would unlock their draft capital and enable them to trade future first-round picks starting next year. With this move, the Blazers would have a wealth of options to acquire a star via trade in the offseason. This could satisfy Lillard's perpetual desire to have another All-Star on the roster.
By this, we mean Portland will swing for the fences in the offseason. They could possibly sign potential free agents like Khris Middleton, James Harden, and Kristaps Porzingis. Of course, they can also offer their plethora of picks and young players in a potential blockbuster deal akin to what the Minnesota Timberwolves and Cleveland Cavaliers did last year. For Portland to do better next season, they'll certainly need to make a lot of noise in the 2023 offseason.