After another summer of incremental progress, the Blazers have almost edged their way back into the Future Power Rankings top 10 for the first time since August 2010. Portland already had its core in place, with All-Star LaMarcus Aldridge surrounded by promising rookie of the year Damian Lillard and forward Nicolas Batum as well as steady Wesley Matthews. To that foundation, the Blazers have now added the depth that was sorely missing last season. After signing Mo Williams and Dorell Wright, trading for Robin Lopez and Thomas Robinson and drafting C.J. McCollum, Portland goes two-deep at every position and is ready to compete for a playoff spot. By this time next year, we should have a better idea of the Blazers' long-term direction. That hinges on Aldridge, whose contract is up in the summer of 2015. If Aldridge signals a desire to play elsewhere, Portland is likely to trade him for a package of young prospects and draft picks. At the same time, Portland retains plenty of flexibility to be a player in free agency in 2015, when it could have max-level cap space to build around Batum, Lillard and the return for Aldridge. That potential explains why the Blazers actually improved to eighth in the Money category despite their shopping spree this summer.