The Portland Trail Blazers enter the season looking relatively competitive, but answers are still being sought about how the roster looks on opening night. Almost a month before that first game, the playing group will enter training camp in late September, carrying with it some interesting storylines.
The Blazers are nowhere close to being contenders, but their trajectory is definitely upwards after half a decade in the doldrums. The hope is that this season the franchise gets another scent of the NBA Playoffs by via the Play-In tournament.
It won’t be easy though. The Western Conference is, as always, loaded with the only likely lottery team playing home games in Salt Lake City. The New Orleans Pelicans, Sacramento Kings, Phoenix Suns and a handful of others will be jostling with the Blazers for that quasi-coveted 10th seed.
The Blazers ended the 2024-25 season showing some real signs of growth. Over the final two weeks of the regular season, Portland boasted the league’s best defense and the sixth best point differential, winning half of their last eight games.
Toumani Camara, Deni Avdija, Shaedon Sharpe, Donovan Clingan all established a level of play that, if maintained, should steer the franchise in the right direction over coming seasons.
But momentum is hard to maintain when there’s six-months between competitive games. Training camp opens on September 29, the official start of the coalescences of this roster. While the playing group is largely the same, new pieces, including Jrue Holiday, Yang Hansen and Blake Wesley will need to get used to their new surroundings.
What should we be keeping an eye on?
How ready is Yang Hansen?
Even after a decent showing at Summer League, the Blazers’ first round pick is still largely an unknown when it comes to NBA basketball. The Chinese big looks to have a suite of intriguing skills on paper but we’re yet to see it translate. Training camp will be the center’s first real chance to play alongside NBA talent and should dictate how he measures up.
From what I’ve seen, he’s probably not as raw as other rookies but he’ll have to acclimate to a new level and quickly if he’s going to serve as Donovan Clingan’s primary backup.
Who snags the final starting spot?
Jrue Holiday, Toumani Camara, Deni Avdija and Donovan Clingan are likely locks for starting positions. As for the final spot, Jerami Grant, Shaedon Sharpe and Scoot Henderson will be in the mix with camp being the trio’s best chance to stake their respective claims.
Choosing Grant would suggest the Blazers are all in on defense while hoping the former gold medallist can rediscover his offensive prowess. This would heap facilitation responsibilities on Holiday and Avdija, which may or may not be smart move.
Inserting Henderson into the five would theoretically give the Blazers a little more creation and a little less experience. While Sharpe would add an offensive punch with the hope he’s addressed any defensive concerns.
Have Henderson and Sharpe made progress?
We won’t know how impactful the backcourt duo will be until the season starts, but camp should give the coaching staff a sense of how far the pair have come over the summer break. This is a big season for Sharpe who, unless he gets extended this offseason, faces a insecure climate next summer given what we’ve seen in restricted free agency this year. He needs to convince he can hit the long ball, play above average defense and maintain an acceptable level of intensity.
For Henderson, it’s decision making, finishing at the rim and protecting the ball. But more than that, it’s convincing many, including this writer, that he can be something extra special.
Is Donovan Clingan ready for a starting role?
For Clingan to be the Blazers’ answer at starting center, he needs to be able to prove he can play as close to 30 minutes a night as possible. Last season, the then rookie averaged 19.8 minutes a night. In the games, he did play more than 20 minutes, the former number seven overall pick looked to flag late in games.
I know he’s 7’2 and close to 290lbs but the Blazers need a starting center who can be impactful on the court more than he sits on the pine. There’s no disputing his defensive prowess but he also needs to show he has something to offer on the other end.
Is Robert Williams III healthy?
He might not get huge minutes early on but the Blazers need the big man to prove his body can hold up after two Blazers seasons hampered by leg injuries. Clingan and Yang appear destined for minutes at the five, but Williams’ health will be key to the Blazers moving him before his contract expires 11 months from now.
I’m hoping against hope that Williams works his health issues out because we know, when fit, he can be one of the most impactful big men in the league. Whether that’s with the Blazers or elsewhere, it would behoove all parties to ensure he can prove his health sooner than later.
Will someone unexpected emerge?
Two years ago, it was Toumani Camara. Kris Murray, Rayan Rupert, Sidy Cissoko, Caleb Love and Blake Wesley are this year’s candidates. Murray is obviously further along than the others. Wesley has been brought in as guard insurance while Love is an interesting mature-aged rookie who could stick. I have a soft spot for the French pair in Rupert and Cissoko but my money is on Murray if he’s able to firm up his long-range shooting.
Conclusion
Let’s be clear, while training camp will be an interesting barometer for where his roster is, no verdict can be handed down until we see the team compete in a regular season environment. While the team will always be reluctant to divulge everything out of camp, daily reports should give us an idea of who is standing out as the team prepares for its preseason schedule.
This season, the Blazers appear set to transition from cellar dweller into relatively competitive outfit. This metamorphosis starts in camp with the playing group aiming to start the new season on a positive note.
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