The NBA season is close to starting back up again so now is a great time to take a look at what Portland Trail Blazers players are the best candidates for a breakout season in 2019-20.
The Portland Trail Blazers made a deep run in the NBA playoffs last season and got to the Western Conference Finals for the first time since 2000. They relied heavily on their two stars, Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum.
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But the Blazers also got significant contributions from role players Enes Kanter, Seth Curry, Maurice Harkless and Al-Farouq Aminu.
The Blazers lost all of those role players this summer and are going to need new players to step up and fill the roles. They did re-sign Rodney Hood this free agency. Hood was another key player in the playoff run and will likely take over the starting small forward spot.
They also traded for a 3-and-D wing, Kent Bazemore. He gives the Blazers another shooter/ defender coming off of the bench.
Portland lost their starting center Jusuf Nurkic right before the playoffs started and it does not look like he will be ready to start the 2019-20 season. Because of this, the Blazers went out and traded for Hassan Whiteside from the Miami Heat.
Whiteside is an elite shot-blocker and rebounder, and when he is bought in, he is a game-changer. If Portland can get the best of Whiteside, he could be the difference in them being a title contender or not.
This franchise may have lost some key players from the past seasons this summer, but they added talent as well, and some might even say they are a better team on paper now.
The Blazers have one of the best coaching staffs and player developmental staffs in the league and put guys in a great spot to succeed. With that said, here are three players who are breakout candidates for the Blazers this upcoming season.