Victor Wembanyama just told the Blazers exactly what they need to fix

The Portland Trail Blazers were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs. Following the series, Wembanyama said he's "excited to play against teams that will challenge more of the tactical, technical basketball aspect."

He also added that Portland was "pretty straightforward" in its approach, which is absolutely something they must address this offseason.

Thrown into the fire as interim head coach just one game into the season, Tiago Splitter overall did a great job of keeping what easily could've been a sinking ship afloat. Portland exceeded expectations, finishing with a 42-40 record and earning a seven seed despite dealing with one frustrating injury after another.

We finally saw what the healthy version of this roster could look like towards the end of the season, but it was too little too late. At that point, Portland had run into a legitimate contender in San Antonio. Still, the Blazers gave the Spurs what turned out to be a much more competitive finish than the final 4-1 finish suggested. They even had a chance to put themselves up 3-1 had they not blown two second-half leads in Games 3 and 4.

Part of that is because the Blazers' offense stalled, which again underscores Wembanyama's point that this team needs to add another layer of complexity.

Blazers need to add more complexity to their offense

With how well Splitter had this team playing, we do think he made a compelling enough case to stick around as head coach next season. Above all, he's proven to be a players' coach, which is crucial in this player-driven league. We saw that in Portland's on-court product as Splitter's presence resulted in career years for Deni Avdija, Scoot Henderson, Shaedon Sharpe, and Donovan Clingan.

More recently, we saw that in the Blazers' exit interviews, where just about every player praised the job Splitter has done this season. Matisse Thybulle had the most interesting form of praise, with a spot-on analogy:

"On the court, if they throw you the ball with no time in the shot clock and you have to shoot, that's called a 'grenade.' And I think that's what Tiago got thrown this season. ... As far as I'm concerned, Tiago did an amazing job. He knocked it out of the park."

It remains to be seen whether Portland will keep Splitter around next season. He's made it clear he wants to stay, but the Blazers are set on casting a wide net of options. If he does stick around, becoming less predictable is something Portland will have to work on.

"I'm still learning," Splitter added at his exit interview. "I'm still a young coach. I'm not saying I'm Phil Jackson. But I've gotten better as a coach for sure, from last summer."

Portland should invest in Tiago Splitter's growth as a coach

We saw progress throughout the season, not only in Portland's youth but also in Splitter's coaching. It was fun to watch them grow together, and it should be encouraging that this is only the foundation to build off of.

Splitter needs to become much better in ATO plays in particular, as the Blazers ranked dead last by a wide margin when comparing their ATO points per possession to half-court offense points per possession.

Not all of these shortcomings fall on Splitter, however. Part of it has to do with the hand he was dealt with the Blazers' roster. There are serious flaws in how it's currently constructed, particularly on the offensive end.

Portland ranked last in turnovers per game this season and was third-worst in three-point efficiency. I don't care how complex your offense is; that's an offensive recipe for disaster.

Fortunately, Damian Lillard's return should help both aspects, while Portland has also made it clear that shooting is the biggest area to address this offseason. The trajectory should only be up from here in terms of roster upgrades and fit. But now, it's a matter of Splitter finding a way to better utilize those pieces with a less straightforward approach. We love that he's a players' coach, but there's a need for improvement when it comes to the X-and-Os.

Spllitter has shown enough for Portland to continue investing in his growth as a coach, but time will tell whether their front office feels the same.

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