With the 2019-2020 NBA season fast approaching, Our First Draft is providing team previews for all 30 NBA teams. These are intended to inform the reader about important roster changes for all teams, as well as summarizing the outlook of the team ahead. This includes the Vegas Over/Under line, OFD’s recommendation on which side to take, as well as a projected record for the team.
Team: Portland Trailblazers
Conference: Western
Wins O/U: 46.5 (Over -110, Under -110)
Last Year’s Record: 53-29
Projected Roster (Projected Starters marked with asterisks): K. Bazemore, Z. Collins*, P. Gasol, M. Hezonja, R. Hood*, S. Labissiere, D. Lillard*, N. Little, C. McCollum*, J. Nurkic, A. Simons, A. Tolliver, G. Trent Jr., H. Whiteside*
Key Offseason Moves: Traded for H. Whiteside, Traded E. Turner for K. Bazemore, Lost A. Aminu, Lost M. Harkless, Lost S. Curry, Lost E. Kanter
Overall Summary: The Trailblazers come off one of their most successful seasons in franchise history, having reached the Western Conference Finals and ending this era’s OKC Thunder. They have a star point guard in Damian Lillard, one of the best players in the league, and an underrated backcourt mate in C.J. McCollum. The uncertainty about when Jusuf Nurkic will come back is probably part of the reason that this line dropped from last year’s record, but the Blazers traded for Hassan Whiteside to ameliorate that issue. While Whiteside has struggled over the last two seasons in Miami, and become known as a locker room problem, the Trailblazers are known as a drama-free team, and I think that Whiteside can succeed in a role slightly expanded from what Enes Kanter did last year. I think the trade for Bazemore was an upgrade over Turner, and I’m pretty high on Zach Collins – I think he could be the prototypical modern 4. Overall, this is a team that has stressed continuity, and I think it will lead them to another playoff berth.
Verdict: Portland was kind to me last season, as I believed their over/under was criminally low, and they rewarded me by passing their over/under line with a dozen games left. I’m not sure why Dame and CJ just keep getting disrespected. Take the over – I project the Blazers to finish with a record of 48-34.
