The Portland Trail Blazers have shown this offseason that they are committed to rebuilding their roster to return to the playoffs. The likely trade of superstar Damian Lillard will leave the team with a roster that would need nothing short of a miracle to return to the playoffs immediately.
Although the front office has been vocally committed to building a team that can return to the postseason sooner rather than later, the roster is chock full of young talent that will need developing before this team is a threat in the loaded Western Conference.
The Blazers currently have 11 players under contract who are younger than 25 years old. While development is vital to a bright future, it’s not feasible to develop such a large pool of talent simultaneously, even with Portland’s new G League Rip City Remix team to stash players on.
With so much youth, the Blazers must select a few players worth their time and effort to develop. While this means letting some untapped potential go, this is a necessary step toward creating a few future stars who could help bring the Blazers back to the playoffs in a few years.
Beyond the prominent young players who have superstar potential in Anfernee Simons and Shaedon Sharpe, plus rookies Scoot Henderson, Kris Murray and Rayan Rupert, there are three youngsters on the roster who the Blazers would benefit from focusing their development efforts on.
Unfortunately, the hard truth is that developing these eight players would likely need to come at the expense of two peripheral players who don’t possess the same potential.
Blazers young player to continue developing: Nassir Little
Despite a challenging 2022-23 season in which he averaged 6.6 points and 2.6 rebounds in 18.1 minutes per game, Little has shown flashes of brilliance that cannot be ignored.
His shooting percentage from the field and beyond the arc improved, demonstrating his offensive potential. Although his defensive rating took a hit, that could be attributed to his recovery from offseason core muscle surgery and shoulder surgery that ended his previous season prematurely.
Little’s strength lies in his versatility. He is a strong bench player who can step up as a starter when needed. His athleticism and high-energy play style can significantly impact the game, providing the Blazers with much-needed depth.
His inconsistency has been a concern, but this may be remedied with more development. After all, Little is still just 23 years old with four years of NBA experience.
Little’s team-friendly contract and potential makes him an attractive asset in a rebuild scenario. His manageable deal could also be used to match salaries in a trade, but the Blazers should consider the potential they would be giving up.
Little’s development could be a boon for the team moving forward, especially if he can become more consistent.
Blazers young player to give up on: Keon Johnson
Portland has remained committed to shooting guard Keon Johnson, a player whose development has been less than stellar. Despite showing flashes of potential, Johnson’s overall performance raises questions about whether the Blazers should continue investing in his development.
Add in the fact that the Blazers have a glut of more talented guards on the roster, and Johnson isn’t worth the continued effort.
A 6-foot-3 shooting guard, Johnson had a mixed season with the Blazers, averaging 4.7 points and 1.5 assists in 10.4 minutes per game. His shooting percentages were modest: 37.6 percent from the field and 34.6 percent from beyond the arc. These numbers do not reflect the consistency and reliability the Blazers need from their backup shooting guard.
Johnson’s offensive inconsistency is a significant concern. He shot 59.6 percent from inside five feet but struggled from almost every other distance. This lack of offensive reliability limits his effectiveness on the court and hampers the Blazers’ offensive flow.
Despite a promising three-game stretch toward the end of the season, Johnson’s overall performance does not inspire confidence in his long-term development.
Defensively, Johnson gives a strong effort, but his defensive rating of 119.3 last season indicates room for improvement. Johnson’s defensive performance needs to add more value for a Blazers team with many skilled offensive guards with defensive shortcomings.
Johnson’s limited offensive game and defensive shortcomings make him a less attractive option to be the Blazers’ fourth guard when plenty of veterans could join the team in a leadership role to help develop Simons, Sharpe and Henderson in the likely absence of Lillard.
Blazers young player to continue developing: Jabari Walker
The Trail Blazers have a promising talent in Walker, a player whose development could significantly contribute to the team’s future success. Despite being in the early stages of his career, Walker has shown the potential that warrants continued investment from the Blazers.
Walker, a second-round pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, had a solid rookie season with the Blazers, averaging 3.9 points and 2.3 rebounds in 11.1 minutes per game. Although these numbers may seem modest, they do not fully capture Walker’s potential.
His performance in the 2023 NBA Summer League was particularly impressive: he averaged 12.4 points and 8.2 rebounds, shooting 56.8 percent from the field and 50 percent from beyond the arc.
Walker’s skill set is diverse and he has shown promise as a potential rotational player. In the event of a rebuild, he could be a valuable asset who might be in line to compete for the starting job at power forward on a roster that is sparse at that position.
At 20 years old, Walker’s development will take time, but he will likely play plenty of valuable bench minutes if Jerami Grant stays on the roster, or be thrust into a starting role should Grant be traded.
Playing behind an established talent such as Grant would be an excellent way for Walker to grow. He needs to get bigger and stronger and refine his skills to develop into a quality rotational player. However, with the suitable investment and patience, Walker could become a second-round steal for the Blazers.
Blazers young player to give up on: John Butler Jr.
Butler Jr., a 7-foot forward, had a limited impact in his appearances for the Blazers last year, averaging 2.4 points on 32.1 percent shooting in 19 games. His best performance came in April when he scored 12 points during a loss at San Antonio.
Butler’s offensive inconsistency is a significant concern. In college at Florida State, he shot 39.3 percent on threes but averaged 5.9 points and 3.2 rebounds per game. With Portland, his 3-point shooting dropped to 22.9 percent.
This lack of offensive reliability limits his effectiveness on the court and hampers the Blazers’ offensive flow.
Defensively, Butler’s height and length could be an asset, but his overall impact on that end remains to be seen. What Butler has in height he lacks in bulk. At 190 pounds, he lacks the overall size to be a force in the paint.
Butler and his two-way contract will likely find a place with the Rip City Remix team. Continuing to invest in his development beyond a G League player may not be the best use of the Blazers’ resources.
Blazers young player to continue developing: Ibou Badji
Badji is a promising young prospect and a player whose development could contribute to the team’s future at a center position that’s lacked depth in recent years. Despite not having played a single game with the Blazers due to knee surgery, Badji’s potential is undeniable and warrants continued investment from the team.
A 7-foot-1 center, Badji brings much-needed size to the Blazers. His performance with the Wisconsin Herd, the NBA G League affiliate of the Milwaukee Bucks, was impressive. He averaged 7.4 points on 61.8 percent shooting with 6.6 rebounds and 2.6 blocks over seven games.
In the 2023 NBA Summer League, he averaged 3.5 points, 3.0 rebounds, 1.8 blocks, and 1.3 assists in 19.5 minutes. While these stats won’t blow anyone away, watching Badji indicates he could become a legitimate rim protector and potent lob threat for the Blazers.
Like Walker, the 20-year-old center’s development will take time. He may benefit from playing time with the Rip City Remix and is on a two-way contract to do so.
Still, in the event of a rebuild, Badji could receive playing time as a backup center next season, especially if starting center Jusuf Nurkic is traded.
Players like Little, Walker and Badji have shown potential and versatility, making them valuable assets for the team’s future. On the other hand, the Blazers should consider whether the investment in Johnson and Butler Jr. is yielding the desired returns.
The Blazers may be better served by focusing their resources on other players and seeking new, more experienced talent to fill the gaps.