Portland Trail Blazers: Where to Start First This Offseason

After a disappointing first-round elimination at the hands of the Dallas Mavericks, the Portland Trail Blazers are exploring their options for moves to make in the offseason.

Wes Matthews and Gerald Wallace have played absolutely exceptional this season, and LaMarcus Aldridge was more deserving of being an All-Star than Derrick Rose was as the MVP, but something's still missing.

With the Draft and the Free Agency coming up, questions are being asked about what direction the Blazers are headed moving forward.

First on the priority list is saying their prayers and re-signing Greg Oden. He may have fallen prey to a severe knee injury (what else is new in Portland), but there's no way they can let their superstar center walk away without at least one more stint in a Blazers jersey.

He would have to sign an $8.8 million qualifying offer, which can only be done at the end of the postseason, but it's a move the Blazers have to make in order to solidify their interior defense.

In the team's final press conference of the season, General Manager Rich Cho said, "“As long as he’s [Oden] working hard and his rehab is going well, he'll be a priority... Greg is 23, 7-feet, 280 pounds. It’s something to consider.”

Re-signing a healthy Greg Oden would provide stability on defense, while providing a double-digit rebounder and, possibly, another option on offense. It would also allow Marcus Camby to rest his old legs.

Next on the list, Brandon Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge need to become more synchronized as a dynamic duo. Roy missed so many games because of his dual arthroscopic knee surgery that he lost whatever chemistry he had with L.A.

And now that Aldridge has become the primary option, B-Roy seems to be trying to fit himself in wherever he can.

That is not the answer.

Roy can still perform at a high level, and Aldridge is just beginning his All-Star-caliber career. The two need to take time out, every practice, to work on learning each other's tendencies and hot spots.

Pick-and-rolls between the two were scarce in the playoffs, and Coach McMillan should encourage them to practice together. They're both players who know how to put the ball in the basket, but developing better chemistry can only help them in the long run.

Another player whose knees were blown out this season is rookie Elliott Williams, who had to undergo knee surgery as well. Williams was cleared to resume light basketball activities in late March and will be a key player for Portland next season.

Cho said that he expects him to be a "player in this league" and that "his athleticism is off the charts." Who was the last rookie that sat out an entire season because of a knee injury and turned out to be an inhuman athlete the next year?

Could Elliott Williams be the next Blake Griffin? Most likely not, but in his shootarounds, his teammates said "he was making everything" and that he looked great on the court.

As for the NBA Draft, Portland's options are limited at the 21st pick. They haven't stated any players that they would be interested in, but Nolan Smith, the point guard from Duke, wouldn't be a bad choice if he lasts that long.

In case he doesn't, the Mack Truck, Shelvin Mack, would be another great option for Portland to explore. He's built like a Ford F-150 and can create his own shot with his vast array of moves.

Finally, Portland needs to address their bench depth.

At first, hearing Brandon Roy, Nicolas Batum, and Rudy Fernandez coming off the bench sounds like sweet chin music. But when Fernandez goes ice cold from three, and Roy scores two points in 20 minutes, the Blazers become heavily reliant on their starting lineup.

Batum will always put in solid minutes on both sides of the court, but Portland needs a definite sixth man, preferably at the point guard position. Fernandez is a pretty good passer and an underrated defender, but he went arctic from downtown against Dallas in the playoffs.

Patty Mills has played mediocre for the majority of the season, and the rest of the bench is full of players that can't find the basket in an open court.

Greg Oden and Elliott Williams could be the answer to Portland's problems, but they also need a solid draft pick and a backup point guard.

If Roy and Aldridge can become like Steve Nash and Amare Stoudemire (yes, it's a stretch, but that's the ideal combo) and Oden can play 70 games in a season, Rip City will rip cities apart come next season.