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The Portland Trail Blazers have been in the playoffs in every year since 2014, but they've always come up short when it has mattered the most. After a promising run to the Western Conference Finals in 2019, they were knocked out in the first round by the LA Lakers this year. A few recent NBA Trade rumors suggest deals that can help Portland get over their playoff hump in the upcoming 2020-21 season.
Dream starting 5 for the Portland Trail Blazers according to NBA Trade Rumors:
In this article, we'll go over some of the options the Portland Trail Blazers have in the upcoming offseason, and take a look at their dream starting 5 going into the 2020-21 NBA season.
Point Guard: Damian Lillard
Damian Lillard has been the face of the Portland Trail Blazers franchise since 2012, and will continue to be their leader in the future. At 30 years of age, Lillard had the best season of his career as he averaged 30 points per game and shot an impressive 40.1% from downtown.
Lillard continues to be among the best shooters in the league, and has worked on increasing his range even more in the past few years. After a disappointing loss to the mighty LA Lakers this year, the 5-time All-Star will be determined to come back strong next season.
Shooting Guard: CJ McCollum
CJ McCollum has been the perfect sidekick for Damian Lillard in Portland. His shot creation and shooting abilities from mid-range make him one of the toughest players to guard on the court.
McCollum averaged 22 points this season and shot 37.9% from beyond the arc. The 29-year-old can only get better in the upcoming years as he tries to help the Portland Trail Blazers make a deeper run in the playoffs.
Small Forward: Carmelo Anthony
Carmelo Anthony revived himself during the 2019-20 season with his inspiring run with the Portland Trail Blazers. The 36-year-old averaged 15.4 points during the regular season and contributed in many wins as the 3rd scoring option for the Blazers.
Even though Anthony is now a free agent, he has expressed his desire to re-sign with Portland in the offseason. The Portland Trail Blazers should be happy to have him back as they try to turn their fortunes around in the playoffs next year.
Power Forward: T.J. Warren
T.J. Warren had one of the most incredible runs during the seeding games in the Orlando bubble in 2020. After averaging 19.8 points in the regular season, he was the scoring leader in the seeding games and averaged close to 40 points up until the playoffs.
Even if he's on the smaller side for a power forward, Warren has played at the 4 for the Indiana Pacers in the past. His scoring ability can make the Portland Trail Blazers one of the most dangerous offensive teams in the league.
According to recent NBA trade rumors, a package involving Trevor Ariza, Anfernee Simons, and draft picks might convince the Pacers to consider this deal.
Center: Jusuf Nurkić
Just when it looked like Jusuf Nurkic was close to fulfilling his potential, he suffered a season-ending injury in March 2019 and missed out on the majority of this year's season. Nurkic played just 8 games at the end of the regular season, but still had a decent outing in the playoffs.
The center is only 26 years old. Fans believe the best of Nurkic is yet to come and he'll be a dominating force in the paint for the Portland Trail Blazers on both ends of the floor next year.
We look forward to bringing you more NBA trade rumors regarding the Portland Trail Blazers' plans for this offseason.
Also read: NBA Trade Rumors: The dream starting 5 for the LA Clippers going into the 2020-21 season
