x
Breaking News
More () »

How much better are the Blazers? Assessing the team's offseason moves

Now that the dust has settled after a rapid-fire offseason, the Portland Trail Blazers appear to have a deeper and more talented roster.
Credit: AP
Portland Trail Blazers coach Terry Stotts talks with Damian Lillard, left, and CJ McCollum during the fourth quarter of the team's NBA basketball game against the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday, Aug. 9, 2020, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (Kevin C. Cox/Pool Photo via AP)

PORTLAND, Ore. — Now that the dust has settled after a rapid-fire offseason, the Portland Trail Blazers appear to have a deeper and more talented roster, especially on defense.

The NBA fast-tracked its offseason, with the start of trade season, the draft and free agency all starting and (mostly) wrapping up last week. In a stretch of seven days, Portland made the following moves:

The move for Covington was the headliner and the reason so many national pundits have raved about the Blazers' offseason.

"The Blazers felt one medium-sized move and some good health away from being a problem," said ESPN's Zach Lowe. Covington might be the perfect piece to lock everything into its proper place."

But the Blazers also shored up their depth. Depending on who starts, Portland's reserve unit could feature Gary Trent Jr., Anthony, Kanter and Collins, Hood or Jones Jr.

"We wanted to be more athletic, we wanted to be better defensively this year," said Neil Olshey, the Trail Blazers’ president of basketball operations. "We wanted more versatility on the perimeter, we wanted to be able to switch more and be more disruptive on defense, more aggressive on that end."

At least on paper, it seems like Olshey and the Blazers accomplished many of those goals. How it all gels on the court remains to be seen, but Blazers fans won't have to wait much longer. NBA preseason games begin Dec. 11 and the regular season starts Dec. 22.

KGW's 3-on-3 Blazers podcast team got together Wednesday to talk about the Blazers' moves and make some predictions about the season ahead.

LISTEN: How much better are the Blazers? Offseason review

Before You Leave, Check This Out