It's been a rough stretch for the Portland Trail Blazers as of late. After starting the season 5-3, the Blazers have lost six of their last seven, including their last four in a row. The good thing is, this team's youthful talent provides them a unique avenue to escape their struggles.
If we look across the landscape of the league, it's not hard to see that Portland has one of the deepest rosters in the league as far as promising young players is concerned. While going up against strong competition in the Western Conference on a nightly basis, it's the layers of talent this Trail Blazers team has that will give it a chance to survive a grueling schedule and end up in a favorable position come springtime.
Prior to the start of the regular season, Portland exercised team options on Scoot Henderson, Kris Murray and Donovan Clingan. They also reached extension agreements with Shaedon Sharpe and Toumani Camara. These developments had painted the picture of certain positions being filled moving forward. But as we know, things tend to shift quickly in this league.
The Blazers have a plethora of young talent
The losses on the Blazers' schedule have begun to stack up, but there have still been positives to take away. The play of other youngsters like Yang Hansen and Caleb Love has served as a reminder that this team has left room for internal surprises. Just when it seemed like Portland was out of options, these players have stepped up at the right time.
Hansen is already showing flashes of his incredible potential. His feel for the game as a passer and touch around the rim are among the biggest reasons he projects as a game-changer once his development is a bit further down the line. He had his best performance as a professional on Tuesday with nine points in 13 minutes against the Suns, along with five rebounds, three assists and a block.
Love's creation abilities have been among the most unexpected bright spots during the Trail Blazers' skid. An incredible scorer at the college level, Caleb is improving his shot diet and showing more engagement on the defensive side of things than ever before. He put up a career-best 17 points on 50% shooting in the same Tuesday outing against Phoenix.
It's not like these guys are going to become All-Stars this season or anything, but they're showing the fanbase the kind of talent they possess, and what they can become further down the line. Having this many capable young players gives Portland the kind of cushion they need to withstand the rough stretches that come with a young roster. It keeps them competitive now while letting their future take shape at its own pace.