The Portland Trail Blazers roster is all but set for the 2021-2022 NBA season. General Manager Neil Olshey believes that the team as currently constructed is enough to compete for a title or at least keep Damian Lillard appeased enough to prevent a trade request.
If this is to be true, each and every player on the squad will have to reach new heights in the upcoming season. As is, it doesn’t seem that this roster is of contender status, but with enough internal growth, this squad could surprise a lot of people.
With specific milestones in mind, the team as a collective can elevate their ceiling together to reach true contender status. Here’s one goal for each starter that could help the Portland Trail Blazers become true championship threats.
One goal for each Portland Trail Blazers player to elevate the team’s ceiling
1. Damian Lillard – finish Top 3 in MVP voting
It’s no secret that the Portland Trail Blazers go as Damian Lillard goes. There’s no doubt that Lillard is the MVP of Rip City, but to get the Blazers over the hump, Dame will have to be pretty darn close to MVP of the entire league.
His top finish in MVP voting came in 2017-2018 when he finished fourth after leading Portland to a 49-33 record and a third seed finish.
The Blazers were considered dark-horse contenders that year, but were quickly embarrassed by the Anthony Davis-led New Orleans Pelicans. If Lillard can take Portland back to a top-three seed and finish top-three in MVP voting himself, the Blazers can attain dark-horse contender status again.