If you’re a fan of the Portland Trail Blazers, the past five years have probably seemed like Déjà vu. Each season begins with modest success that eventually gets derailed by a major injury, to a major player. The team goes into a slump near midway of the season. There are questions about playoff viability. Then Portland picks up the pace and wins a share of games as the playoffs approach. Save for the 2018 season, this pattern has become perfunctory. Oh! There’s something else that carries over.
The core roster stays much the same. It seems that will be the case heading into next season, too.
Trail Blazers beat writer for The Athletic, Jason Quick made his weekly appearance on Primetime, Thursday. He delivered some sobering news to fans expecting general manager, Neil Olshey to make sweeping changes to the roster this off-season. “I think Neil runs it back with the same starting five, and an improved bench,” he said.
Portland’s roster was historically bad on defense this past season. Former head coach, Terry Stotts wasn’t blameless in that result. His philosophy of free flowing offense didn’t take into account the energy needed to defend some of the best two-way players in the West. Now, new head coach Chauncey Billups will have to solve Portland’s defensive woes. Apparently Olshey has confidence in that.
“Their hope is that Chauncey’s charisma and background will inspire guys,” Quick said. “That’s something that Terry Stotts just didn’t have. He wasn’t a motivator. He wasn’t a unite-er. He wasn’t a guy who inspired a lot of these guys.”
Fans can only hope that Billups fresh message will take among a roster that doesn’t seem championship ready.
