The Portland Trail Blazers are just a few days away from opening up their 2022/23 NBA season with a matchup against fellow Western Conference competitor in the Sacramento Kings, and with a talented young lineup, this team has a chance to be a very strong team in 2022. Most have picked the Blazers to be fighting for a lottery pick and the chance to potentially draft the generational Victor Wenbanyama next off-season, but right now, the Blazers have a talented young group, and if they come together and play as a unit, there’s no reason why this team can’t genuinely compete for the playoffs.
Only time will tell how this season plays out, but one thing is for certain, Head Coach Chauncey Billups will have this team playing hard night in and night out, and if they can consistently give their all, the city of Portland will be proud. While the starting lineup and bench unit will likely change throughout the season, this team has a chance to put two teams together and have them gel as well as they can, and to start the season, this is likely how those two talented groups will look.
6. The Second Unit: Gary Payton II, Shaedon Sharpe, Nasir Little, Trendon Watford, Drew Eubanks
The Blazers starting lineup in 2022 is looking very solid, and with the scoring ability from 1-5, they could even rank among the best teams in the Western Conference, but if Portland want to rise above being a potential No. 10 seed to competing for a genuine playoff spot, then this bench is going to have to come together and provide some genuine momentum for this team. There are two major additions to the second unit in 2022, who both provide something completely different to the team, as Gary Payton II, fresh off a Championship with the Golden State Warriors will provide the unit with veteran leadership and a strong defensive presence, which could potentially see him inserted into the starting lineup at times this year.
The other addition is Shaedon Sharpe, a rookie out of Kentucky that has set the NBA world ablaze in recent days, after an outrageous dunk of his went viral in the pre-season, but he will provide so much more to this team than just athleticism. Despite being young and raw, Sharpe can score on all three levels, and will be the microwave scorer that every team in the NBA needs coming off the bench, and while there’s plenty of pressure on him to perform early, he seems primed and ready for the task.
Beyond that, the Blazers have three names that will all contribute to a strong unit, and while the trio of Little, Watford and Eubanks may not put up a lot of points individually, they’ll play a key role for this second unit in keeping or gaining momentum for this team as they look to bounce back after a disappointing 2021/22 season.