With just ten games left in the 2024-25 season, the Portland Trail Blazers finally have a clear sense of their strengths and weaknesses to address this summer. Shooting, playmaking, and wing depth remain glaring needs, but at least GM Joe Cronin now has the roster clarity he sought to help guide these key offseason decisions.
The Blazers seem unlikely to make the Play-In Tournament. However, these remaining games are still important as they give Portland one final chance to evaluate their roster before entering what could be an eventful offseason.
Is Chauncey Billups the long-term answer at head coach?
All signs previously pointed to a mutual parting between the Blazers and Chauncey Billups at the end of the season. The Blazers' brutal schedule and young roster still figuring out their roles led to a rocky start to the season, leaving fans to wonder if Billups is the right man for the job.
Billups is still a polarizing coach, but has more supporters after Portland's midseason turnaround. He has helped the development of Scoot Henderson and is establishing a defensive identity built on accountability. The in-game management and adjustments could use some improvement, but there's a legitimate case for Billups to be the one to lead the Blazers back to the playoffs.
The Blazers' front office agrees (subscription required), with NBA insider Marc Stein reporting that they are presumed to have "mounting interest retaining Billups beyond this season." They have the next ten games to help determine how strong that interest is.
Which veterans have a place in Portland's rebuild?
Anfernee Simons is 25, and Deandre Ayton is 26, meaning they could be considered part of Portland's rebuilding timeline if they choose. Both are talented individual players, but the decision gets more complicated when considering their contracts and the fact that they are hindering the development of their top ten draft picks from the past three years (Henderson, Shaedon Sharpe, and Donovan Clingan).
Sharpe's potential rookie-scale extension adds another layer of complexity. He's shown flashes this season, but there are some concerns surrounding his motor, consistency, and defense.
The Blazers should be heading towards a future starting five of Henderson, Sharpe, Toumani Camara, Deni Avdija, and Clingan, but if and how they ultimately get to that point is still up in the air.
Is the face of the franchise currently on the roster?
Avdija is having a breakout month of March, averaging 23.0 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 5.4 assists on efficient 51/48/85 shooting splits. He's ascended as Portland's go-to player during this stretch, and the Blazers' offense has been better off because of it.
But it's fair to question Avdija's role when the Blazers become a playoff-caliber team. He's likely best served as a secondary or tertiary option. But if he isn't their star answer, then who is?
It's still possible Henderson or Sharpe reach their All-Star ceiling. It's also possible the Blazers have a middling starting lineup that consists of elite role players with no one true face of their rebuild. If it happens to be the latter, the Blazers should be more inclined to go out and get that missing star via trade. That could happen as soon as this summer now that their young core has proven they're ready to take that next step.