Portland Trail Blazers: Power Ranking Most Important Needs This Offseason

The Portland Trail Blazers have a lot to do this summer if they are going to get back into playoff contention next season.

The on-the-court difficulties were apparent this year. Rebounding, late-game execution and even effort were all problems at multiple points throughout a disappointing season.

Those things can be improved by being focused and disciplined in training camp, but in order to get the right talent on the court by that point, the team has a few areas it must focus on immediately now that the 2011-12 NBA season has officially come to an end in Rip City. 

6. Retain Nicolas Batum

The Trail Blazers failed to negotiate a contract extension in January for Nicolas Batum, and it now appears the 23-year-old forward is likely to command $10-11 million as a restricted free agent this summer.

The big contract is concerning for a team that is ready to compete in the free-agent market, but if the Blazers are smart, they'll do whatever it takes to get Batum back in Portland next season.

Portland has never been a hot free-agent destination, and while the team would have enough money to attract a superstar without Batum on the books, the question becomes whether or not it has the ability to woo those superstars with just a big-time paycheck. 

The Blazers will still have enough money to address their needs after re-signing Batum, so overpaying a fan favorite is a better option than desperately spending the leftover salary at the end of free agency this offseason.

5. Add Depth

It's seemed in years past that the rotation in Portland has been filled with young, talented players at seemingly every position.

That wasn't the case this season.

What the team can specifically add this summer is going to be up in the air until it officially decides whether or not to retain forward Nicolas Batum, but the team will ultimately have money to spend either way.

The center position was shallow after the trade deadline, J.J. Hickson emerged as the team's reserve power forward nearly three quarters of the way through the year, and there was virtually no consistent backup point guard all season long.

The team has a lot of spaces to fill, but adding an overall sense of depth is going to help each of those empty spaces come next season.

4. Find a Big Man

Greg Oden has officially been waived by the Trail Blazers, Joel Przybilla anticipates having foot surgery this summer and Kurt Thomas will turn 40 years old by the time next season officially tips off.

Simply put, this team needs a big man.

The team finished 25th in rebounding this season and 17th in block shots, and the hole in the middle was painfully apparent after sending Marcus Camby to the Houston Rockets at the March 15 trade deadline.

There are going to be a number of options this summer through both free agency and the draft, but whichever route the team chooses to go, it must look for a long-term solution to a problem that has been glaring for quite some time now.

3. Hire a Head Coach

Interim head coach Kaleb Canales received a number of endorsements regarding next year's head coaching vacancy during the Trail Blazers' exit interviews this season.

While Canales was clearly liked by the players, the team needs to round up the candidates and hire the guy who is going to benefit the team regardless of who is on next year's roster.

There are a number of big names out there—Jerry Sloan, Phil Jackson and Mike D'Antoni to name a few. The superstar coaches, like the superstar free agents, might be difficult to attract, but the team can't sit back and watch if owner Paul Allen is willing to spend the money this summer.

Kanales should be considered a candidate, but the team needs to decide if he is the best candidate to help rebuild and get back to the playoffs starting next season.

2. Find a Point Guard

Although finding a big man to fill the middle is going to be a major priority this summer, finding the next point guard of the future should be ahead of replacing Greg Oden in the lineup.

Oden played just 82 games in the five season he was with the Trail Blazers, and while Marcus Camby was certainly a good piece to have protecting the paint, the team managed to put a 54-win season together before his arrival.

This season, when the team was having so many struggles at the point guard position, it became clear Raymond Felton was not getting the job done. Many factors contributed to the disappointment this season, but finding a new point guard to come in and be the floor general should help the team get back on track next year.

1. Hire a General Manager

Before the Blazers can successfully do anything on this list, they must first bring in a general manager who is going to get the job done while appeasing the needs of owner Paul Allen.

We've seen the past three seasons how that can be a difficult task to accomplish, but in a summer where so many changes are going to be made, finding the GM to make it all happen has to be priority No. 1.

Working the draft, finding a head coach and signing free agents are all vital to this team's success next season, but finding the GM who can evaluate the options and negotiate the contracts is going to be a key part of moving forward after such a disappointing year.