The Portland Trail Blazers failed to make much noise this offseason, but their actions - or inactions - taught us a lot about them going forward. Here are three things we learned about Rip City this summer:
Portland is not a free agent destination
We may have known this already, but it was amazing how all three of their big free agents (and all starters, mind you), ended up leaving town. Aldridge leaving was a tough blow but not totally unexpected, yet the departures of Wes Matthews and Robin Lopez really leaves this team without much experience. Add in the fact they traded Nic Batum to Charlotte, and Portland will have almost a completely new starting lineup next season, which means...
It's Damian Lillard's team now
Lillard had already asserted himself as a leader for the Blazers, but without Aldridge, he now becomes THE guy in Rip City. Though he plays like a seasoned vet already, it's important to remember that Lillard is only entering his fourth season in the league. Lillard is one of the league's best players, but we don't know if he can carry a team yet or not.
A new era
The mass exodus also created a lot of playing time for younger players. C.J. McCollum and Meyers Leonard are now expected to become starters, and they acquired talented young big man Mason Plumlee from the Nets. Portland will probably take a step back this year because of that, but it'll be a lot of fun to see how this new team plays together.
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