NBA Podcast: 2013-14 Portland Trail Blazers Season Preview

One of the NBA's best-kept secrets, are the Portland Trail Blazers ready for the big time this season?

Last year's starting lineup was truly stellar. Damian Lillard, Wes Matthews, Nic Batum, LaMarcus Aldridge and newcomer Robin Lopez all are safe bets to be a top act again as well. However, the bench needed (and underwent) major work. Mo Williams, C.J. McCollum, Dorell Wright and Thomas Robinson now arrive as reinforcements.

Will it be enough? Can Lillard, Aldridge and Batum all play at an All-Star level? Will they have enough gas down the stretch and collective firepower when it matters most?

Portland promises to be an exciting and easily likable team again this year, but does a tough Western Conference still make their playoff hopes a long shot?

NBA Featured Columnist Zach Buckley joins assistant editors Ethan Norof and Joel C. Cordes for the latest episode of Basketball by Association.

(If the embedded player fails to load, you can find the full episode here.)

We look at the best and the worst of the Blazers' offseason, along with the biggest questions heading into 2014. We'll also detail Portland's keys to a successful year while predicting its final position in the standings.

Want more team-by-team NBA season previews? Find the latest here. Basketball by Association cast members and pro-hoops analysis can be found at Bleacher Report's Court Vision blog.