The first three weeks of the Portland Trail Blazers' 2026-27 regular season have been a mixed bag. However, there have arguably been more positives than negatives, including wins against the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Los Angeles Lakers. Another encouraging sign for Rip City is that several players have been better than expected.
On the other hand, a few players have been a bit disappointing. It's understandable, though. If everyone has been playing at least up to par, the Blazers would be 11-0 today. I say that with a ton of confidence, given the level of talent on the roster.
The guys who have stepped up certainly deserve recognition, but we also have to mention the players whose stock has dropped in hopes that they figure it out sooner rather than later.
Falling stock: Scoot Henderson
This season was supposed to be a breakout year for Scoot Henderson. The Blazers' star-studded backcourt should have taken some of the pressure off him. Sadly, that is not the case.
It has been painful to watch Henderson shoot the ball. He has shot just 31.5 percent from the field and 22.7 percent from three.
And he has shown few redeeming qualities this year, as he is averaging a disappointing 2.5 assists per 36 minutes and has been unable to leverage his physique and athleticism on defense.
At this point, Scoot has not done anything to prove the Blazers wrong for not extending him last summer. It feels wrong to even think about this, but is he that much better than a minimum-contract guard like Bronny James?
Falling stock: Vit Krejci
There was a bit of excitement when Portland acquired Vit Krejci at the last trade deadline. He was expected to be one of the team's most prolific floor-spacers.
In 26 games repping Rip City, he has connected on 28.8 percent of his tries from downtown. Yikes.
It's safe to say that Krejci's days with the Blazers are numbered. And now, he has undergone ankle surgery that will keep him out for at least eight weeks. Trading him, if that's the plan, has likely become much trickier.
Rising stock: Deni Avdija
So much for the concern that Damian Lillard and Ja Morant could negatively affect Deni Avdija's game; he has had no problem sharing the court with fellow stars. That is a good sign if the franchise wants to find a running mate for him one day.
If it isn't clear already, the All-Star forward is the Blazers' best player, and he has proven that the offense should primarily run through him. The good news is that Avdija has found ways to become a more valuable player at the same time. He has been solid on defense, and his leadership has been quite impressive.
Rising stock: Toumani Camara
Obviously, Deni is the Blazers' most prized asset. Does Toumani Camara have a case as their second-most valuable piece?
If he were available on the trade market, many other organizations would probably be lining up to secure his services. However, the Blazers know better than to send him elsewhere, as he has developed into one of the league's premier 3-and-D players.
Rising stock: Donovan Clingan
Finding an elite big man is a tall order for most NBA teams. Portland may have already chanced upon one who has the potential to keep up with the league's best centers.
Donovan Clingan has continued to be a dependable interior presence, ranking ninth in average rebounds and fourth in average blocks this season. And would you believe that, 11 games into the regular season, he leads all Blazers rotation players in 3-point shooting percentage with 45.5 percent?
Rising stock: Sidy Cissoko
In previous seasons, the lack of quality depth has plagued the Blazers. Even coming into this campaign, unease had lingered about their wing depth. Sidy Cissoko has helped alleviate those concerns with his solid two-way performance.
The 22-year-old swingman has been an important contributor off the bench for the squad. Now, he has been thrust into the injured Morant's spot in the starting lineup after Henderson underperformed in that role. In his two contests as a starter, he put up 18.0 points and 3.5 3-pointers per match. Even more remarkable, those games came in their back-to-back win over the Thunder.
Cissoko will enter free agency next offseason, and chances are, the Blazers could face competition from teams in need of a versatile 3-and-D wing player.
Rising stock: Damian Lillard
Lillard turned 36 last July and had to miss the entire 2025-26 campaign to recover from a torn Achilles tendon. So, expectations were a bit tempered for the Blazers legend. However, who would have known that he still has a burst of athleticism in him?
He appears to be settling back into rhythm, as evidenced by his shaky shooting at times. But it's encouraging that Dame's ability to get downhill and attack the rim is still part of his offensive bag.
TBD: Injured guards
It would have been nice if the franchise had the ability to gauge the capability of its roster and see where it should improve. Well, injuries have gotten in the way, with Shaedon Sharpe yet to appear this season and Morant missing the past six contests.
So, there's no choice but to wait for their comeback before we determine whether their stock has risen or fallen.
In Morant's case, though, it's a shame that he has to spend time on the sideline anew. He seemed to have already found his groove with Portland before news that he sustained a left hamstring strain made the rounds. It's worth noting that he has not played more than six consecutive games since the 2022-23 campaign.
Hopefully, Morant and Sharpe don't take too long to recuperate and bolster the Blazers' depth chart as soon as possible.
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