It would have been understandable if the Portland Trail Blazers never recovered after being swept by the New Orleans Pelicans in last year's playoffs. It also would've been fair for this team to slip after Jusuf Nurkic's season-ending injury. But making it to the Western Conference finals is an accomplishment.
How does this franchise take the next step as it builds around Damian Lillard, CJ McCollum and Nurkic?
Now eliminated from the postseason, let's look ahead to the free agency, draft and trade decisions facing the Blazers this offseason -- including a potential supermax for Lillard.