Power Rankings
Overall Ranking: 27th
Tier: Bottom Feeders
Projected Seeding: 13th in West
What was once "Rip City" is now rather "R.I.P City." Emerging superstar PG Damian Lillard was surrounded by one of basketball's best starting fives, as well as perhaps it's best sixth man, last season, only to see them all disappear this summer. SG/SF Wesley Matthews bolted to Dallas, C Robin Lopez and SG/SF Arron Afflalo (the sixth man) signed with New York, SF/SG Nicolas Batum was dealt to Charlotte for a future prospect (PF/C Noah Vonleh), while of course superstar PF/C LaMarcus Aldridge chose San Antonio. Lillard is now perhaps the only even above-average player on the roster, after being signed to a monstrous extension, but that will change soon. The team is littered with prospects: PG/SG C.J McCollum and of course Lillard in the backcourt; SF Al Farouq-Aminu, SF Moe Harkless, and others battle for minutes on the wing; while C/PF Mason Plumlee, PF/C Noah Vonleh, and C/PF Meyers Leonard are among those who make up the frontcourt rotation. While all of these aforementioned players are under 25 and have potential, none of them (again, other than Lillard obviously) are a sure thing to pan out. Still, with so many high-risk, high-reward prospects, Portland is bound to find at least one "high-reward" guy to be Lillard's running mate in the future, but that still doesn't help the fact that Lillard has little to no help on this team anymore in the present.
Overall Ranking: 27th
Tier: Bottom Feeders
Projected Seeding: 13th in West
What was once "Rip City" is now rather "R.I.P City." Emerging superstar PG Damian Lillard was surrounded by one of basketball's best starting fives, as well as perhaps it's best sixth man, last season, only to see them all disappear this summer. SG/SF Wesley Matthews bolted to Dallas, C Robin Lopez and SG/SF Arron Afflalo (the sixth man) signed with New York, SF/SG Nicolas Batum was dealt to Charlotte for a future prospect (PF/C Noah Vonleh), while of course superstar PF/C LaMarcus Aldridge chose San Antonio. Lillard is now perhaps the only even above-average player on the roster, after being signed to a monstrous extension, but that will change soon. The team is littered with prospects: PG/SG C.J McCollum and of course Lillard in the backcourt; SF Al Farouq-Aminu, SF Moe Harkless, and others battle for minutes on the wing; while C/PF Mason Plumlee, PF/C Noah Vonleh, and C/PF Meyers Leonard are among those who make up the frontcourt rotation. While all of these aforementioned players are under 25 and have potential, none of them (again, other than Lillard obviously) are a sure thing to pan out. Still, with so many high-risk, high-reward prospects, Portland is bound to find at least one "high-reward" guy to be Lillard's running mate in the future, but that still doesn't help the fact that Lillard has little to no help on this team anymore in the present.