This is a transitional season for the Portland Trail Blazers. The end-of-season playoff push will be exciting and a great learning experience for their young core, but next season will be when expectations are heightened. Another year of development, the return of Damian Lillard, and a full offseason to upgrade the roster.
If Portland falls short of its playoff aspirations this season, the silver lining is that next season is increasingly likely to end that drought. Still, it's not going to be easy out West. One potential hurdle is the Golden State Warriors, who are in the midst of a transitional season of their own.
West could get even stronger next season
Jimmy Butler's brutal ACL tear all but crushed this team's chances at a deep run. To make matters worse, Stephen Curry has missed 15 consecutive games with a right knee injury. Despite the Warriors' desperate trade for Kristaps Porzingis at the deadline, this is a team that's largely looking ahead to next season.
Not only will they get healthier, but there's also been talk of Curry expecting Golden State to find a star to pair with him in the summer.
"I think he knows, whether it's a Giannis [Antetokounmpo], whether it's a LeBron James, there's going to be somebody next summer, that's going to join him, join Jimmy, join Draymond [Green], assuming he's still there too," NBA insider Marc J. Spears said on 95.7 The Game's "Willard and Dibs."
It makes perfect sense for the Golden State to go star hunting this summer as they look to maximize the closing window of their 37-year-old superstar. But from Portland's standpoint, this isn't ideal timing.
The rebuilding Blazers suddenly have an increased sense of urgency themselves after bringing in two aging star guards this past offseason. They will only have two years with Lillard, Jrue Holiday, and Jerami Grant all under contract playing together. There's also a limited window for Portland to capitalize on Deni Avdija's team-friendly contract, which is arguably the best in the entire association.
It was always going to be difficult for Portland to thread the needle while balancing two timelines. There are similarities between them and Golden State in that sense. But with both teams seemingly taking a patient approach to gear up for next season, these timelines have suddenly come into conflict.
Dealing with the sustainable juggernauts like Oklahoma City and San Antonio already made Portland an underdog for next season. If Curry gets his wish and the Warriors successfully find him a co-star, the Blazers' chances to come out of the West are going to get that much worse.
To counter, Portland will need to add star power of its own, as it's the only way they come out of this gauntlet alive.