5 Reasons Portland Trail Blazers Enter Franchise-Defining Season in 2014-15

The Portland Trail Blazers did something during the 2013-14 NBA season that has gone largely unmentioned. Fans are well aware that the team finally broke the dreaded 14-year second-round playoff drought, but in the process, it accomplished something else that's just as important for the future of the franchise.

Rip City escaped rebuilding mode.

For more than a decade, we've witnessed the Blazers draft potential stars and acquire seemingly suitable role players. Unfortunately, they've dealt with injuries and underachieving prospects (and sometimes underachieving veterans) that have forced multiple rebuilds around LaMarcus Aldridge. 

While you could argue Portland accomplished this escape from mediocrity in 2012-13 with the drafting of Damian Lillard, a 13-game losing streak to close out that year says otherwise. Now, there's no doubt that the team has a bright future ahead, but there are a number of immediate themes that will make or break this team's long-term outlook.

Contracts

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Chemistry has never been a problem for the current-day Portland Trail Blazers. Back in April, Robin Lopez brought that notion to the forefront in an interview with the media, courtesy of The Oregonian's Sean Meagher:

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Each team I've been on has had unique chemistry. But this team I think ... being something that I've only been apart of for just about one season now, I think it's pretty incredible how quickly and how effectively everybody's come together and bonded.

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Although the character of this team hasn't changed over the offseason (it likely even improved with the additions of Steve Blake and Chris Kaman), players will be vying for new contracts. Lopez, Wesley Matthews, LaMarcus Aldridge, Dorell Wright and Joel Freeland will all be unrestricted free agents in 2015, and seven more could enter free agency via team and player options.

With the regular season around the corner, there are two angles to this particular storyline. First, how will players perform with individual goals on their minds? Second, how will the organization approach the financial future with negotiations ahead for Lopez and Matthews—not to mention an eventual maximum extension for Damian Lillard. 

These questions will be answered in time, but what we know immediately is that Portland could look far different in 2015 and 2016 than it does now based off potential free agents. With an eventually increased salary cap in mind, this is everyone's shot to prove they're worth a big pay day.

Just as importantly, it's time for everyone to show they're the right pieces to the championship puzzle.

LaMarcus Aldridge's Contract Situation

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Portland Trail Blazers owner Paul Allen and general manager Neil Olshey will have contracts on their minds this season, but no one player will occupy as much brain space as LaMarcus Aldridge.

Back in June, Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski reported that the Blazers had offered a max contract to the three-time All-Star. That offer was respectfully declined, as Aldridge later stated, via The Oregonian's Joe Freeman:

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I'm happy to stay, happy to be here, happy with the direction the team has gone the last year or two. This has no impact on my interest in staying in Portland. I just want to get a five-year deal. I feel like that's the best decision on my part.

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Aldridge said all the right things, but there are two variables that could shake up this situation: Portland's immediate success and the new broadcasting deal in place for the NBA. Joe Freeman addresses the latter:

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[...] max contract players such as Aldridge sign deals based on a percentage of the salary cap — not a specific dollar amount. Aldridge's annual salary will pencil in at 30 percent of the Blazers' cap when he signs his deal, no matter how much it is. Afterward, he would receive 7.5 percent increases each year for the length of his deal. 

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To summarize: Blazers fans shouldn't fret, as we likely won't see a short-term deal with an early opt-out clause.

The catch, of course, is that Portland needs to remain Aldridge's top option. The big man has been loyal thus far, but should the team falter in its attempt to improve, it won't be a shock if the 29-year-old explores the market.

Youth Movement

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Youth is a coveted asset in the NBA, but so is experience. The Blazers are gradually crossing the line toward having the latter, but the prospects on the roster must show improvement off the bench so they don't find themselves in free agency (or as trade bait) early in their careers. 

Kicking off the list of prospects are members of the 2012 draft class. Will Barton, Thomas Robinson and Meyers Leonard all have options in their deals that put them in de facto contract years, and while Robinson and Barton have certainly shown signs of potential, neither is a lock for a long-term spot in the rotation without showing improvement.

Also on the radar is sophomore C.J. McCollum. You can include guys such as Victor Claver and Allen Crabbe if you want, but with a legitimate chance to have an immediate impact, McCollum is someone who could shape the foundation of this franchise right away.

Improvement from the aforementioned players will do two things for this franchise. First and foremost, it will improve the bench.

According to Hoopsstats.com, this second unit was last in points per game in 2013-14, and the same goes for offensive efficiency and minutes (while being near the bottom in numerous other categories).

It will also give us a better idea of what this roster will look like moving forward. The 2015 and 2016 offseasons have the potential to reshape the rotation, and while starters such as LaMarcus Aldridge, Wesley Matthews, Robin Lopez and Nic Batum highlight the discussion, it's the talent off the bench that will either round out the roster or be stuck looking for a new team.

Nicolas Batum's Role

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When it comes to the Portland Trail Blazers starters, there's a whole lot of continuity the team can count on.

For starters, you know Damian Lillard is going to be a dynamic playmaker, and you know LaMarcus Aldridge will be a money jump-shooter.

You also know Robin Lopez will do the dirty work and that Wesley Matthews will live up to his three-and-D reputation.

What we don't know from season to season—and even game to game—is where Nicolas Batum will make his presence felt. More specifically, we don't know if he's reached his ceiling following his best season as an overall contributor.

In an offseason interview with B/R's Jared Zwerling, Batum spoke about how crucial it is to be versatile:

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At the small forward spot, if you want to be successful in the league, you've got to do a lot of things on the court. You can't just score or play defense. You've got to rebound, you've got to set picks, you've got to have assists. When you've got a small forward like Kawhi right now, LeBron [James], KD [Kevin Durant], Paul George, Iguodala, Rudy Gay—all those guys can do a lot of things on the court.

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For the majority of his career, the Frenchman has heard fans and critics alike asking him to be a more consistent scorer, but this past season we saw him become more refined as a rebounder and facilitator. Staying true to this role (and staying aggressive) will make him the perfect glue guy, as it allows the scorers around him to play their games at an incredibly high level.

2013-14 Was Either a Starting Point or a High Point

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Entering 2013-14, "fringe" was a common word used to describe the Portland Trail Blazers' postseason chances. Even B/R's Adam Fromal projected them as a 40-win team with an 11th-place conference finish, but while that prediction was suitable at the time, it proved to be dead wrong.

Following an impressive 24-5 start, the Blazers quickly became the darlings of the league. They ultimately finished 54-28 (fifth in the conference), but the problem with surprising the NBA is that you only get one shot to catch the top-tier contenders off guard.

Looking ahead, Portland's job will be to prove that its recent success was a starting point—not its ceiling. We saw this team win 54 games in 2008-09, but it failed to propel itself to another level, encountering subsequent rebuilds and numerous drop-offs.

At this point, the Blazers are a playoff squad and a dark-horse contender. A regression could mean a personnel shift over the next two summers, as the team will be forced to reconsider which prospects stay and where salary is allocated with max contracts in line for LaMarcus Aldridge and Damian Lillard.

While improvement doesn't have to mean a championship in 2015, taking a step back would be shape-shifting for the outlook of the franchise. A drop-off from 2013-14 would prove detractors right, but improvements across the board—as well as successful contract negotiations—would be evidence that this team has officially shed the "fringe" label for the foreseeable future.

*Salary information is provided by HoopsHype.com.