Losing four of their five starters this offseason, the Portland Trail Blazers had no choice but to hit the reset button. They completely blew up their roster and will move forward with Damian Lillard as their cornerstone player.

The reconstructing began when the Blazers dealt Nicolas Batum to the Charlotte Hornets for Noah Vonleh and Gerald Henderson. Although Batum had an unsatisfactory season last year, he was still one of their more important players due to his versatility and defensive flexibility.

The Blazers didn’t stop there. During draft night, they shipped Steve Blake and their 23rd overall pick Rondae Hollis-Jefferson to the Brooklyn Nets for Mason Plumlee and the 41st overall pick Pat Connaughton.

Many speculated that this move most likely meant the end of LaMarcus Aldridge, who was already debating on leaving Portland before free agency even started. Those speculations were accurate, as Aldridge flirted with many other teams this summer while rejecting a meeting from Damian Lillard and the Blazers.

Aldridge narrowed his list of destinations to three teams in the end and ultimately chose to sign with the San Antonio Spurs, leaving a gaping hole on the Blazers’ roster.

Things went from bad to worse when Wesley Matthews opted to sign with the Dallas Mavericks and Robin Lopez took a deal with the New York Knicks. Only Lillard remained loyal to Portland by signing a five-year, $120 million contract extension.

We could sit here and reminisce on what Portland lost this summer, but perhaps we should talk about the players they gained to begin their rebuilding process.

As mentioned above, Portland acquired Plumlee during draft night. The 6-foot-11 big man is a remarkable addition for this rebuilding team. He is young, athletic, lengthy, and has the ability to run the floor really well for a center. Plumlee’s best feature is his capability to finish around the basket, as he uses his long arms and jumping ability to score.

Last season, he averaged 8.7 points and 6.2 rebounds on 57.3 percent shooting from the field. He played 21.3 minutes per contest and started in 45 games. With Portland, Plumlee figures to play more minutes and earn more starts, which should lead to better stats for the two-year man out of Duke.

During free agency, the Blazers quickly netted Batum’s replacement by signing Al-Farouq Aminu. Although his offense is a little suspect, Aminu is a big time defender thanks to his athleticism and quick hands.

Aminu proved to be a great perimeter defender during the latter half of last season for the Mavericks, playing a larger role when Chandler Parsons was sidelined with injury. During the postseason, Aminu averaged 11.2 points, 7.2 rebounds, 2.0 steals, and 1.6 blocks. Those are the type of numbers he can put up on any given night for Portland since he is expected to become a full-time starter.

To add to their newly decorated young core, Portland attained Los Angeles Lakers’ big man Ed Davis​. The 26-year old is another offensively challenged player, but he makes up for it with his energy, hustle, and defense.

Davis tends to get baskets near the rim due to his hustle, athleticism, and length, as he will compliment Mason Plumlee very nicely in the frontcourt. Being under the bright lights of L.A., Davis got a lot of recognition for his outstanding play, averaging 8.3 points and 7.6 rebounds per night on 60 percent shooting.

To enhance their roster with more building blocks, the Blazers acquired Orlando Magic’s swingman Moe Harkless. The three-year man out of St. John’s hasn’t had the career many expected, but perhaps a fresh new start could help him find his niche.

The Blazers filled out the remainder of their roster with Phil Pressey, Cliff Alexander, and Mike Miller, basically moves that will add more depth.

It wasn’t a pleasant summer for the Portland Trail Blazers and their fans. They completely refurbished the roster and lost all but one of their core players from last season. It’s safe to say that they are no longer a Western Conference powerhouse and many lottery seasons are ahead of them. On a positive note, they wasted no time to begin their rebuilding project, adding many young, talented pieces already.

Off-Season Grade: D-

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About the author
Vahan Shakhpazyan
Vahan Shakhpazyan loves the NBA with a passion and has been an avid follower for 18 years. He is a UCR graduate with a BA degree in Creative Writing. The man behind the Facebook page NBA updates.