The Portland Trailblazers Starting Five is legit but in 2012-13 and the 82-Game Trek its a marathon not a sprint. If it was a sprint the Blazers would have been at the middle of the pack in West through 40 games. They spent the Summer of 2k13 shopping All-Star PF LaMarcus "L-Train" Aldridge as he has made it clear he want out of the Rip City if they are not going anywhere. The Bulls was a likely destination for him until the Blazers wanted Jo Noah to go with Luol Deng and that would have been a Felony Count Theft on the Blazers. Reigning Rookie of the Year 2012-13 Point God Damien Lillard of Weber State by way of the Town...East Bay and it's lineage of Point Gods is the truth. D.L. is a cross between ex-T'Wolves and Cavs PG Terrell Brandon of Portland and a more athletic "Mr. Big Shot" Chauncey Billups. They also have two excellent defenders in Wes "Bloodline" Matthews and Nikolas Batum who is Spurs Point God TP9's Side Kick on Team France. Can the Blazers make any noise in the West as they needed to add quality depth behind that top flight Starting Five.
2k13-14 RIP CITY Roster and Top ReinforcementsProjected Starters
PG "License to Lillard" (pictured right)
SG Bloodline Matthews Jr.
SF Batum #88
PF L-Train
C Brooks Lopez
Top Reinforcements
PG CJ McCollum (2k13 Top Pick Broken Bone in Foot)
C Meyers Leonard
SF Dorell Wright
PF Joel Freeland
SG Will Barton
PG Mo Williams
PF T-Rob of Rock Chalk
SG/SF Allen Crabbe (2K13 Pick)
PF Victor Claver
The Starting Five is all that with maybe a Meyers Leonard for Brooks Lopez. The Firepower one through four is unquestioned. The Bench will be the Key and that Injury to 2013 Lottery Pick CJ McCollum is a huge blow.
McCollum was electric in the 2013 Sin City NBA Summer League. As the Blazers looked as though they may have another Top Rookie of the Year Candidate. Vet PG Mo Williams was a huge pick up and he can play both guard spots and even pair him up with Lillard.
Can Sac Kings Lottery by way of the #REDNation Rockets PF Thomas Robinson come around as I though the Kings should have never drafted him as they were stockpiled with good talent and youth in the front court prior to drafting T-Rob. He is definately on the clock and we will see what he does.
Crabbe will be a solid players as he is a Rookie Sniper who with the Blazers might be able to play some Small Forward. Excellent Versatility in that Kid and that's what the Blazers and Lead Man Terry Stotts is all about.
Small Forward Dorrel Wright also gives them relief in Batum's Slot and another long-athletic Wing who can knock it down from deep.
The emphasis for the Blazers was Depth behind their front line starters and for the most part they addressed that. The West is tough but the Northwest Division has the OKC Thunder at the Top with the Denver Nuggets trailing closely. Did the Blazers cut the gap between the bottom to the middle of the Northwest?
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