The Portland Trail Blazers need to improve on defense if they want to contend for a championship.
In their four years since reaching the Western Conference Finals, the Blazers have been a bottom-five defense in every season. In that 2018-19 season, Portland ranked 16th in defensive rating, which isn’t spectacular, but is far better than the showing in recent seasons.
That 2018-19 team played the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference Finals, and they finished 13th in defensive rating, anchored by Draymond Green.
Green will be a free agent this summer if he opts out of his deal, and Bleacher Report’s Greg Swartz believes he could be a target for the Blazers.