The Portland Trail Blazers are coming off a 2018-19 campaign in which they made the Western Conference Finals, only to be swept by the Golden State Warriors.

They then entered an offseason in which they lacked flexibility due to financial constraints, but they still made some things happen.

The Blazers signed Damian Lillard to a massive extension, swung a trade for Hassan Whiteside, and re-signed Rodney Hood. Is Portland actually headed in a positive direction going into next season, or is it doomed to repeat its past failures?

Let's break that down in the three biggest takeaways of the offseason from the Blazers:

3. They aren't Counting on Jusuf Nurkic Just Yet

Jusuf Nurkic suffered a horrific broken leg injury this past season, and while he is expected to return at some point next year, no one can say for sure what type of shape he will be in.

That's the only explanation why the Blazers went out and acquired Whiteside, because if Nurkic had been healthy, there would be no place for Whiteside to play.

To be fair, Portland needed a shot-blocker regardless of Nurkic's situation, and Whiteside will provide that for the club, but this is an indication that the Blazers may not be counting on Nurkic to give them all that much next season.

If Nurkic does return at 100 percent? Then Portland might have a little problem on its hands.

2. They Still aren't Legitimate Contenders

It's great that the Blazers were able to get all the way to the Western Conference Finals this past year, but everyone knew in their heart of hearts that Portland was not beating Golden State.

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The Houston Rockets invested heavily into Fred VanVleet during the 2023 offseason. Houston gave the point guard a three-year, $128 million deal in a move that was meant to turn the Rockets from a rebuilding team into a championship contending one. The signing did just that, as the Rockets finished the 2024-25 regular season as the two-seed in a stacked Western Conference. VanVleet was the veteran presence and 3-point shooter that the team desperately needed, and he still might have a role with the Rockets going forward. Houston has a team option on his contract for next year, and they very well may pick it up. The Wichita State product reportedly wants to stay in Houston, but the point guard would be set to make over $44 million next season under his current contract. The Rockets and their guard recently pushed back the deadline on Houston's decision with VanVleet, and although reports suggest that they are interested in writing up a new, long-term deal, it isn't necessarily a guarantee that VanVleet will be playing for Houston next year. The Rockets blew him away with an offer he couldn't refuse back in 2023, and another team could so the same when/if he hits the open market this offseason. If VanVleet does become an unrestricted free agent, which teams outside of Houston would make the most sense for him to sign with? 1. Orlando Magic Jalen Suggs and Franz Wagner recently signed big deals with the Orlando Magic, and Paolo Banchero will be getting a mega contract extension here soon. Because of that, the Magic no longer have money to blow like they have had in recent years. That will make a deal for another big ticket free agent hard to pull off, especially considering the team signed Kentavious Caldwell-Pope last year. If Orlando can make the money work, though, then Fred VanVleet would be a great fit with the Magic. The Magic finished dead last in 3-point shooting this season, and VanVleet has made at least 2.5 deep balls per game in every season since 2018-19. VanVleet can hit shots form behind the arc off of the bounce or in catch-and-shoot situations. The Rockets were heavily reliant on his shooting expertise, so the guard would have plenty of familiarity getting up deep shots with high volume if he signed with the Magic. While undersized, VanVleet is a pesky defender, so he'd fit right in with a Magic team that has one of the best defensive units in the league. VanVleet could play alongside Suggs and give opposing teams fits. Ultimately, though, the Magic just need more shooting to get to the next level, and VanVleet is arguably the best shooter who could be available on the open market this offseason. 2. Brooklyn Nets A more realistic option for a VanVleet destination would be the Brooklyn Nets. The Nets are set up to have the most cap space this offseason, and they have a major need at point guard. With D'Angelo Russell and De'Anthony Melton hitting free agency this offseason, the Nets don't have a true point guard under contract for next season. Brooklyn needs to spend big this offseason, and they'd be smart to offer VanVleet a contract big enough that he'd have no choice but to leave Houston. VanVleet averaged 14.1 points per game last season, which was his lowest mark since 2018-19. He is trending the wrong way, but he still has enough left in the tank to give the Nets a few good seasons. 3. Portland Trail Blazers In the same way that the Rockets were looking to take the next step in 2023, the Portland Trail Blazers could use VanVleet's presence to get over the hump. The Trail Blazers have plenty of big man depth, as centers Deandre Ayton, Donovan Clingan, Robert Williams, and Duop Death are all under contract next season. Portland also has a lot of wing depth. Deni Advija started to look like a star late this past season, Toumani Camara is an elite defender, Shaedon Sharpe is a freakish athlete, and Jerami Grant is a proven scorer. The team is thinner in the backcourt, though. Anfernee Simons is a solid scorer, but Scoot Henderson has looked like a fringe draft bust since being drafted third overall. Portland shouldn't give up on Henderson completely, but there wouldn't be any harm in signing another guard. Like the Magic, the Blazers were one of the worst 3-point shooting teams in the NBA. VanVleet would improve that weakness, and in a stacked Western Conference, Portland needs all of the help they can get if they are to compete for a playoff spot.
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Then, this summer, the Los Angeles Lakers went out and acquired Anthony Davis to pair with LeBron James, and the Los Angeles Clippers snagged both Kawhi Leonard and Paul George in a truly remarkable coup.

Throw in the fact that the Utah Jazz have drastically improved, the Denver Nuggets are bound to be better, and the Houston Rockets are still around, you have to wonder just how far the Blazers will be able to go next season.

Keep in mind that Portland has lost numerous key defensive pieces this offseason as well, such as Al-Farouq Aminu and Maurice Harkless (the former will especially be missed).

Lillard and C.J. McCollum are certainly a fun duo to watch, but they aren't going to be winning any titles anytime soon.

1. Damian Lillard is Ridiculously Loyal and the Blazers Love Him

In an era when stars leave their teams on a daily basis, Lillard is a breath of fresh air. His commitment to Portland is something that we will not see very often.

Lillard signed a four-year, $196 million supermax extension with the Blazers this offseason, a refreshing display of loyalty on both sides.

Will Portland ever be able to get over the hump during Lillard's prime? That remains to be seen, but the fact that Lillard is so steadfast in remaining with the Blazers is awesome to see, and he is certainly a guy you can't help but root for.