3 questions the preseason will answer for the Portland Trail Blazers

The NBA Preseason gets underway on October 8 for the Portland Trail Blazers which will surely answer some lingering questions Rip City fans may have.

The new NBA calendar year is nearly upon us which means it’s almost time to struggle through another set of preseason games. Most fans dread this time period as it feels more like a tease of what’s to come more than anything as the anticipation for the Portland Trail Blazers‘ impending season only heightens.

This season can’t come soon enough as the league appears to have opened up and the chance for change atop the league’s hierarchy seems inevitable. Among those teams filled with high hopes and aspirations come the Blazers who won’t be satisfied with having another run end in the Western Conference Finals.

As much as the preseason seems to drag on, this year’s early action will answer plenty of questions that Blazers fans may have. After all, we watched two of last years starters leave over the free agency period and incumbent center Jusuf Nurkic’s return timetable is still in question.

The beginning of this upcoming season will be as strange at the start as the first year post-LaMarcus Aldridge.

1. Who starts for the Portland Trail Blazers this year?

This question is unanswerable without being any indicative signs or hints from head coach Terry Stotts thus far. That being said, three of the starting positions are guaranteed to change come year’s start as Maurice Harkless and Al-Farouq Aminu are now located elsewhere and Nurkic’s injury leaves a hole at the center spot.

With the vacancy at small forward, Stotts has a few new options. The newly acquired Croatian swingman Mario Hezonja is a potential candidate to come out of the gates as the starter. His youth, length, and athleticism make him a viable option.

The more likely possibility to fill the void is Rodney Hood. Hood showcased his offensive arsenal and stepped up when needed in last years playoff run. Hood has the potential to emerge as the Trail Blazers’ third scoring option with Nurkic out and Portland seeking scoring outside of the lethal backcourt.

The power forward spot also comes with question marks. Hezonja is an option for this spot as well — but personally, Zach Collins appears to be the fit that makes the most sense. Collins brings length and athleticism on defense and his offensive arsenal shows signs of improvement each game which makes him the right candidate.

The center position seems like a no-brainer to me. The addition of Hassan Whiteside was massive especially with the uncertainty of when Nurkic will return. Whiteside wasn’t a good fit in Miami and it showed. The veteran big man if used correctly could be a force. He showed signs of being an elite center a few years back by leading the league in blocks and rebounds in subsequent years, but was clearly disinterested last year. So far he seems ecstatic about the relocation and all Trail Blazers fans should be excited for what’s in store from the big man.

Truth be told, the starting lineup will be in question until the day preseason starts. Terry Stotts has a versatile set of players to work with in his rotation and I’m sure he will put it together seamlessly.

2: How healthy is Zach Collins’ ankle?

This feels like the year for Zach Collins to punch his name into this league. The potential’s there with Collins and it comes down to whether or not he makes the jump and becomes the player the Blazers envisioned when they traded up to the tenth overall selection to grab him.

Considering Nurkic’s injury, the pressure for Collins to assume the mantle and step into a larger role is going to be higher than ever. The Portland Trail Blazers will need Collins to live up to the moment and become a consistent threat on both ends of the court if they going to succeed after experiencing so much roster turnover.

A report was released in late July about a grade two ankle sprain that Collins suffered amid his summer workouts. Despite tearing a ligament, he did not require surgery and was expected to return to the court to stabilize his condition soon. The preseason will be very telling if he has recovered and whether he is capable of performing up to 100 percent of his abilities.

There’s no doubt that Collins’s role will be intensified this year. He had a very solid playoff run and looked as if he was ready to take on a far more important part on this Blazers team. If the minutes are given to Collins, expect him to excel in the bigger role. But first let’s just hope that ankle of his is healthy and ready to go come October.

3: Is Nassir Little ready to be in the rotation?

Nassir Little looked excellent coming out of high school as the sixth most highly ranked player in his class in ESPN’s recruit rankings, but his game didn’t seem to translate well in a short college stint. Little went into his freshman year with high hopes of making an immediate impact but often struggled.

Nassir came off the bench and struggled to find consistency, averaged only 9.8 points a night on an uninspiring 54.9 true shooting percentage. But some players can surprise, and end up having far more success in the NBA than at the college level.

Portland’s hole at small forward is persistent as ever so Little will have every opportunity necessary to prove he can contribute to the world’s best basketball league on a true contender.

It will be clear early on in the preseason whether Little has improved from his time at North Carolina. Playing against elite talent will help identify if he has it in him to crack the rotation or if he is still just a raw prospect worth developing. If all goes well, he could be playing significant minutes come later October. The talent is there for Little. He’s young, long and athletic, but is he ready for the real deal?

The preseason will be very telling as to where Little’s near future is headed for the Portland Trail Blazers this season.