Why the Portland Trail Blazers Are Emerging as Legitimate Title Contenders

The Portland Trail Blazers are knocking on the door of being considered a legitimate contender to win a championship this season. But it's not necessarily because of who's in the rotation right now. Rather, it's because of what this roster could look like come playoff time for several reasons.

For starters, this Portland team has proven it can compete with the best in the league despite having a depleted rotation. Both Ja Morant and Shaedon Sharpe are currently sidelined with injuries but are expected to return later this season.

When it comes to winning in the playoffs, it starts with having top-end talent and players who can perform on the biggest stage and be the best player on the court on any given night. Portland actually has multiple players capable of doing that.

Morant has been the centerpiece of playoff teams in the past with the Memphis Grizzlies. Then there's Damian Lillard, who has delivered time and time again in the postseason. Jrue Holiday has won a championship as someone who can orchestrate an offense, facilitate for others and serve as a primary defender.

These are the types of veterans who know what it takes to win meaningful games in the postseason.

Then there's depth, which is another key component of any championship team. Getting Morant and Sharpe back not only elevates Portland's top-end talent but also pushes players who are currently getting significant minutes into more complementary roles.

Players on the fringe of a playoff rotation who are getting minutes out of necessity right now won't have to. Some of the players who are currently starters could end up being the eighth or ninth men in Portland's postseason rotation. Depth naturally corrects itself and becomes a strength when a team gets its top-end pieces back.

Furthermore, the Blazers have what they need to make another splash. They don't necessarily need to make a trade at the deadline, but if they identify a need, they've got the assets and contracts of various sizes to make something happen.

Scoot Henderson is perhaps the most fascinating piece of that equation. If he ends up having a breakout season and finding his footing with the Blazers, that's great for Portland because he'll be a key contributor in the playoffs. If not, he's still a young player with tremendous value who could potentially be flipped for someone better equipped to help Portland win now.

The Blazers are in a phenomenal position. They've gotten off to an encouraging start to the season, have high-level talent working its way back from injuries and possess the flexibility to further enhance the roster ahead of the trade deadline.

For all of those reasons, Portland deserves to be in the conversation as a legitimate championship contender.