Northwest Division Breakdown: Blazers Eye Top Spot

Northwest Division breakdown: Blazers eye top spot
By Fran Blinebury, for NBA.com
Posted Jul 17 2009 12:05PM

The Nuggets won the race down the stretch in the division, but could certainly feel the hot breath of the Trail Blazers on their necks as they went down to the wire. With salary cap flexibility and a GM in Kevin Pritchard whose hand has always been as fast as a gunslinger's, there was every reason to think Portland would take the bold steps this offseason to get a jump on the division.

Several weeks into the summer, everyone is still waiting for the Blazers to make their move in free agency or the trade market. But even the status quo and just another year's maturity might be enough to push Portland to the top. Brandon Roy, LaMarcus Aldridge and Greg Oden all have plenty of room to grow along with the Blazers' postseason prospects.

The Nuggets advanced out of the first round of the playoffs for the first time since the previous century and the ride took them all the way to the conference finals. Can they repeat that trick in a Western Conference that always seems to reload and get more difficult?

The Jazz are in a transition in their first full season without the late team owner Larry Miller calling the shots and are likely in an evolution that will end Carlos Boozer's stay in Utah.

That's the sound of rolling Thunder that can be heard in the distance as Kevin Durant, Jeff Green and Russell Westbrook make room for James Harden in a lineup that is oozing with youthful talent and maybe needs only another year before making real noise.

It will be a whole new ballgame in Minnesota, once everybody figures out what game they're playing. A new general manager, a new head coach (eventually) and two point guards taken in the space of five minutes of the draft has plenty of heads being scratched.

Portland Trail Blazers
Gained -- Jeff Pendergraph

Lost -- Sergio Rodriguez, Channing Frye

Up in the air -- With the Jazz matching the offer sheet and their bid for free agent Paul Millsap having failed to get them the power they want at power forward, the Blazers could lower their sights toward Sean May or aim higher and make a play for David Lee. Mostly, Blazers fans just want them to do something.

Early projection for 2009-10 season -- Even with no help from the draft, even with an offseason that has been so uncharacteristically quiet from GM Kevin Pritchard, what's not to like about the Blazers? They're young, athletic and still deep even after giving up Sergio Rodriguez via trade and Channing Frye to free agency. Brandon Roy is a little bit antsy as he awaits a new contract, but you know that will get done eventually and he'll be back making all of the late game-winning plays that have become almost second nature. After 54 wins last season, there's every reason to think the Blazers are just getting started in a new era. But no significant roster moves to date is puzzling if not downright disappointing.

Denver Nuggets
Gained -- Ty Lawson, Arron Afflalo, Walter Sharpe

Lost -- Dahntay Jones

Up in the air -- Will the Nuggets be able to keep the momentum and swagger that carried them into the Western Conference finals last season if they let both Dahntay Jones and Linas Kleiza get away in free agency? Jones is already signed on with Indiana and Kleiza has a foot out the door of a franchise that's squeezed up against the salary cap. Anthony Carter could feel his minutes squeezed and bolt. Will they extend the contract of head coach George Karl or risk the uncertainty of letting him twist in the wind?

Early projection for 2009-10 season -- It will certainly help Carmelo Anthony to have Chauncey Billups with his hand on the tiller from the opening of training camp as the Nuggets, fresh off their breakthrough in the playoffs, try to deal with increased expectations after dancing with the Lakers in the NBA's version of the Final Four. Denver wasted no time in getting Chris "Birdman" Andersen re-signed and back in the nest after his inspiring comeback season gave the Nuggets a jolt of electricity. Arron Afflalo arrives from Detroit, where he comes with the stamp of approval from Billups and could step into Jones' spot in the backcourt. If Nene can stay healthy and deliver the same goods as last season, the Nuggets can be golden again.

Utah Jazz
Gained -- Eric Maynor

Lost -- None

Up in the air -- Now that they've matched Portland's offer sheet to Paul Millsap, it would seem only a matter of time until the Jazz move Carlos Boozer and his expiring contract down the road to get some salary relief.

Early projection for 2009-10 season -- There is no doubt that the Jazz are a better team when Boozer and Mehmet Okur are both healthy and in the lineup. But after forking over big money (4 years, $32 million) to Millsap, the Jazz will spend the rest of the summer arranging a deal to peddle Boozer and then go on about their business of trying to win 50 or more games again. GM Kevin O'Connor moved quickly to lock up Okur to a new two-year deal. Utah made a solid pickup with Eric Maynor in the draft. He'll be a perfect fit as a backup to Deron Williams at the point. Who would ever think a Jerry Sloan coached team would have to really upgrade at the defensive end? But it's absolutely necessary to advance past the first round of the playoffs.

Oklahoma City Thunder
Gained -- James Harden, B.J. Mullens

Lost -- None

Up in the air -- Ever since the Thunder negated last season's trade for Tyson Chandler, everyone's been waiting for OKC to make a solid move to upgrade the middle of the lineup. Does veteran Nenad Krstic or rookie B.J. Mullens promise to take the team to a new level right now?

Early projection for 2009-10 season -- They added the ready-to-roar James Harden and the chock-full-of-potential Mullens in the draft and continue to follow the steady improvement path forged by GM Sam Presti back to respectability. With Kevin Durant, Jeff Green and Russell Westbrook already on hand, the Thunder have become the flavor-of-the-month in many quarters to zoom up in the standings and surprise. Truth is, they're probably not there yet. Still plenty of bumps ahead until the purse strings are loosened and the holes are filled. But head coach Scott Brooks has them playing with confidence and enthusiasm toward a bright future.

Minnesota Timberwolves
Gained -- Jonny Flynn, Wayne Ellington, Okeksiy Pecherov, Etan Thomas, Darius Songaia

Lost -- Mike Miller, Randy Foye

Up in the air -- What will the Timberwolves do with Ricky Rubio after making the stunning back-to-back point guard picks with Jonny Flynn in the draft? New GM David Kahn insists he's willing to wait on Rubio as long as it takes. A year? Two years? Three years? And when will they name a new head coach?

Early projection for 2009-10 season -- Talk about jumping into the pool and making a splash. GM Kahn will either win the award for best cannon ball or wind up looking all wet when the Rubio episode finally plays out. For now, the Wolves are down a couple of key players in Mike Miller and Randy Foye, who were sent to Washington for the Rubio pick and now there's a lot of offense to replace. A rehabilitated Al Jefferson (ACL, right knee) and sophomore Kevin Love are a couple of pieces up front who should be on the receiving end of plenty of passes from Flynn. Without Rubio -- or whatever he could bring in a trade -- it's hard to see anyone talking about anything except another trip to the lottery. Would they draft another point guard?