Portland Trail Blazers Media Day felt different this time around. Not only was this team coming off a playoff appearance for the first time in its rebuild, but it's also integrating multiple new key pieces.
First-year head coach Micah Nori gets the rare luxury of a playoff roster and the downsides of the expectations that come with it, especially on his controversially constructed three-year contract that only includes one year fully guaranteed.
There's already enough drama around new owner Tom Dundon's cost-cutting measures, let alone the questions surrounding this new-look roster that, quite frankly, isn't a perfect fit.
Blazers view backcourt logjam as a good problem to have
Generally speaking, the biggest question surrounding Media Day, one way or another, was what the Blazers plan to do with this crowded backcourt.
Shaedon Sharpe is out for roughly six months with a torn meniscus, and it's still too many cooks in the kitchen.
Following the surprising trade for Morant, many viewed Portland as a team with a follow-up move, making Jrue Holiday the logical trade candidate in that scenario. However, the Blazers have signaled to teams they don't intend to trade Holiday, which is a testament to his versatility. In fact, there were even talks of Holiday playing more time at the forward position this season as a potential solution to their backcourt logjam.
That overall sense of viewing this situation as a luxury rather than a problem that needs to be addressed has been consistent through Media Day, whether it was Joe Cronin, Micah Nori, or Ja Morant.
Morant even pointed out that the Blazers were probably the only team on Media Day being questioned about this "problem" that other teams around the league would love to have.
Just last season, the Blazers could've been put in that category as teams looking to resolve this problem, in part due to their backcourt injuries. It's not a bad thing that they overcompensated to address the issue, hoping that enough pan out to form a long-term backcourt.
What gets overlooked in this messy guard rotation is that it doesn't necessarily mean it's what it will be going forward. This is just an opportunity for Nori and the Blazers to bring in talent and figure out how they want to shape it.
Micah Nori already looks like a great hire
Micah Nori, often compared to the Ted Lasso of the NBA, has the rare combination of 28 years of NBA experience and the creativity and innovation of a first-year head coach. It's that unique perspective he brings to this roster that was already apparent on Media Day.
Look, Tigo Splitter exceeded expectations as interim head coach, leading this team to the postseason despite injuries and unpredictable circumstances surrounding Chauncey Billups. But if the alternative is Nori, I'm supporting Dundon on his decision to pursue the upgrade.
Splitter proved to be a player's coach, but Nori already is too, even flying out to meet Ja Morant after his trade, for instance. Generally speaking, it's hard not to love and be impressed by Micah Nori. He has a combination of NBA experience, basketball IQ, and personality that is incredible in a first-year head coach. He has previously expressed his gratitude for how rare it is to join a playoff roster as a first-year head coach, so hopefully this unexpected pairing works out in everyone's best interest.
Ja Morant seems happy :)
No matter the question or answer, the overall takeaway on Ja Morant was that he was happy. At 27 years old, Morant has plenty of promising years ahead of him and will look to regain that All-Star form with the Blazers.
We were going to say reinvent himself, but that's not necessarily accurate, as it's already clear they want Morant to stand out rather than fit in. Veterans like Jrue Holiday and Damian Lillard should make this transition to Portland easier, helping unlock the confident, happy version of Morant the Blazers invested in.
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