"Super" Trail Blazers Player Preview, Part 1

Welcome to part 1 of 2 posts where we will attempt to project and briefly discuss the coming season for every single Blazer player. You'll see we loosely compare them to various super-heroes and explain their importance to the organization, the city of Portland and of course the team itself. Here's a peek at what you might expect from the Blazers in 2009/2010. Also, part 2 of this preview should be available early in the week so check back for Brandon, Joel and the rest of the Blazers.

Strong, healthy and hungry, ready to beast opposing big men in the NBA.

This year will be a coming out party for Greg Oden. He's not going to put up 20 and 10. But he will let his presence be known on the defensive end and contribute massively overall. For the first time in a long time, Greg had an injury free summer of working on his game. His focus and will to improve seems better than ever. With so much uncertainty in the past, it's difficult to project out for him but 14 points, 10 rebounds, 30 minutes, and a handful of blocks per game would be a welcome addition to our front line. If the Blazers ever want a chance at a championship(or 3), their hopes and dreams lie in this 7-footer. The Blazers truly only go as far as Greg takes them. The sooner he figures that out, the better.

Forget the smile, he is a lethal weapon just waiting to be released on the league.

Jerryd Bayless has become almost a forgotten man in Portland. Prior to the signing of Andre Miller, he saw himself as the backup point guard ready to make an impact in 2009. That all changed with the arrival of Miller. Bayless now finds himself out of the rotation. What can we expect from Bayless this season? Well, not much if Steve Blake, Miller, and even Rudy stay healthy all year. But if someone goes down and Jerryd picks up the minutes, you'll see a different JBay. In training camp he showed better range and a nicer looking shot. He's matured and his mindset is more realistic coming into this season. Don't expect much from the Arizona product, but if he gets an opportunity, you can bet he'll make the most of it. Let's hope Jerryd gets a chance to prove himself before the Blazers ship him away.

Focused and motivated, he'll pick up where he left off: dagger threes and movie-like athleticism.

It's been such a long time since Portland fans have seen the bouncy Martell Webster in a Blazer uniform. He missed all but 5 minutes of last season and there is no doubt he is chomping at the bit to get back on the court. Prior to his injury, Martell looked to be the go to 3-point shooter, slasher off the ball, and a defensive prowess on the wing. But while Martell was out, Nicolas Batum and Rudy Fernandez came on the scene, two guys who produced many of the things Martell planned to deliver. Does he get his starting job back or will he relish in the role of back-up? How Martell fits into this newly constructed team remains to be seen, but if he still has that beautiful jumper, still plays lock-down defense on opposing small forwards, and still has the drive, Martell Webster will be a huge part of this team. Whether Martell starts or comes off the bench, his contributions will be felt on and off the court.

The ultimate sidekick. Playing off the super star has never been a problem, but he'll have a handful of hero moments of his own.

Steve Blake has been central to the main Blazer controversy this off season. Should Blake be the starter, or should he come off the bench? Does he work better with Brandon Roy? Those questions remain, but there is no question what Blake means to this team. An unselfish, conservative, and very intelligent point guard is always pivotal. Pair him up with a faster paced, pass first point guard like Andre Miller, and you have a dynamic duo of point guards. Did I mention Steve Blake improved his 3-point shooting to 43% and averaged 2 made threes per game last year? He's worked even harder this off-season and his shot looks better than ever. That kind of range and efficiency makes you a major threat to opposing defenses. He helps spread the floor and lets his teammates move more freely. In the starting line-up Blake perfectly compliments Brandon Roy, as a back-up he and Rudy are major threats from downtown. Either way you slice it, Steve Blake should match his solid production from a year ago.

High flying, acrobatic and good from long range, this young prodigy is thirsty for even more of the lime light.

Rudy Fernandez came into the NBA hot last year, hitting the ground running and never looking back. He took the league by storm with his high flying alley-oop dunks as well as deadly accuracy from the beyond the arc. He set the NBA rookie record with 159 made 3-pointers and even garnered a few 3rd place votes for rookie of the year. Rudy didn't stop there. He went on to the EuroBasket tournament for Spain in September and helped them win a championship while earning 1st team all-tourney honors. Rudy wants a bigger role this year, even if that means playing a little point guard or small forward. Nate plans to give him more time and with Rudy's versatility and unconscious mentality, the sky is the limit. The only question is, can he co-exist with so many other good players? Rudy will be a superb asset to have this season, but how long he stays with Portland remains to be seen. If anyone were willing to leave for wealthier endeavors in Europe, it would be this Spanish sensation.

A quiet unassuming force; he'll kill you with smoothness or crush opponents with pure power.

With more to prove than any other Blazer player, LaMarcus Aldridge is poised for his official emergence as an All-Star power forward. He began last season slowly but soon became an extremely tough match-up for most opposing forwards. His 18-foot jumper is virtually automatic and with the added beef from the off season, his presence in the paint is going to put him over the top in the Western Conference. LaMarcus may be the second best player on the team, but his contributions are not under appreciated. If he stays committed, hungry, and tough all season long, There is no doubt in my mind that LaMarcus reaches 20 points and 9 rebounds for the season. But beyond that, a consistent, happy LaMarcus Aldridge is one that Portland needs. Since he's playing for a contract too, there aren't any reasons not to be motivated.

Plenty of experience and wisdom, this wily veteran still has a few tricks up his sleeve.

Juwan Howard was a relatively cheap acquisition which may end up being relatively monumental considering his impact on the young guys. So far Juwan has been nothing but right in Portland. He motivates our bigs, he shares plenty of experience and craftiness, and best of all can be a player coach for the Blazers. It was more than obvious in the fan fest scrimmage that he was demanding Oden post up and work for inside position. That's just a small sign of him coaching up Greg. Besides that mental aspect, Howard still has juice left in the tank. As a back-up to LaMarcus he'll be able to knock jumpers, play excellent defense, and even be a mid range passer for our perimeter oriented offense. Juwan Howard is an excellent addition to a team needing all the experience it can get.

Once again, look for part 2 later in the week.