We all know the story. Portland’s entire roster somersaulted this offseason, and they have very little to show for it. From starting off as possible title contenders last season, they step into this season hoping for a playoff berth, and even that’s a long shot.

Damian Lillard is the glue holding this team together. He recently organized a team bonding week for the new look squad, a vacation that did involve some hooping but also relaxation and time to get to know each other. His goal was to have familiar faces heading into camp, seeing as only nine of the nineteen are returning Blazers.

Looking at the 2015-2016 year, a lot of pressure weighs down on Lillard. He’s entering just his fourth year in the NBA and is required to carry an even younger team through the season. While Portland made some exciting additions like Noah Vonleh and Mason Plumlee, they failed to sign a leader to run side-by-side with Lillard. There’s speculation around C.J. McCollum leading the charge alongside Dame, but he lacks experience as a starter. Very few veterans are on the roster as well, none of which have major roles on the team.

Additions:

Ten new players were added to the roster this offseason. The key signings were Noah Vonleh, Mason Plumlee, Ed Davis and Al-Farouq Aminu. In addition, they received rookie Pat Connaughton in a draft night trade and signed both Phil Pressey and Cliff Alexander after the draft. One of the more recent additions, Maurice Harkless, could provide energy this young Blazer team needs.

Of those signed, Plumlee, Davis and Aminu look to make an immediate impact. They are all set to be starters, combining with Lillard and McCollum to form a very unorthodox starting five. Plumlee and Davis aren’t the best offensive options, and neither is Aminu, but Portland’s main issue from last season was sturdy defense. Lillard is known for his inability to contain opposing point guards, but now he’s got some backup. What this means, however, is Lillard and McCollum will be relied upon heavily on offense. Both are great shooters, but due to inexperience, don’t always take the smart shot or look for better opportunities.

Off the bench, Moe Harkless will be teaming up with Noah Vonleh, Tim Frazier, Meyers Leonard and Allen Crabbe primarily. Each reserve listed is capable of scoring, and Frazier will be the supplier as he was during summer league games. Opposite of the starters, they’ll need to work on improving defense to not blow any leads formed early in the game.

Losses:

Unfortunately, this list is filled with long-time Blazers and a whole lot of talent. LaMarcus Aldridge left to join the title-ready Spurs, while Wesley Matthews joined a faltering Dallas Mavericks squad. Robin Lopez was signed for big money by the Knicks, and Nicolas Batum was traded prior to the draft for Vonleh and Gerald Henderson, who’s currently recovering from hip surgery.

Portland lost their offense and team chemistry with these exits. The same starting five since Lillard was drafted in 2012 carried the Blazers night in and night out. Now, only Lillard remains and all the offensive power and defensive energy have vanished.

Sleeper: The Entire Team

After their nightmare of an offseason, all Western Conference teams have removed Portland from their playoff worries. While they may not have the talent or chemistry to mount a postseason run right now, the future is bright. Nearly everyone on the team is young and not looking for a major contract, which enables Lillard to sign his five-year, $120 million deal.

If a season or two goes by and the same core players can remain with Rip City, they could have an energized squad ready to snag a low playoff seed and catch Western powerhouses off guard. Lillard will have developed as a leader by that point, and hopefully with the extra cap space looming, they can draw in a big name or two.

Summary:

As for this season, scratch the Blazers out for any sort of playoff run. Their roster is exciting and will no doubt scrounge a few surprise wins here and there, but the lack of chemistry and experienced leadership will hold them back from going over .500. This season will merely serve as a development year, to see who’s ready to assume a bigger role in the team once they’ve reached their prime in the foreseeable future.