Given Toumani Camara's defensive prowess and promising signs from 7'2" rookie Donovan Clingan, Portland GM Joe Cronin's actions this offseason seem to indicate that he has chosen an identity for the Trail Blazers' roster in the years to come.
The first signal from Cronin came when the team offloaded guard Anfernee Simons. Once believed to be the future of the franchise, Simons had shown defensive limitations in recent years, something never quite counterbalanced by his good-but-not-great offensive talent.
In a controversial move, the team received an aging Jrue Holiday in exchange for Simons. Once a perennial Defensive Player of the Year candidate, the 6'5" Holiday is on the books for a hefty thirty-plus million dollars in each of the next three seasons.
In a move just as shocking as the Holiday deal, the Trail Blazers next agreed to a contract buyout with last year's starting center, Deandre Ayton. While perplexing to some, the intent of the move was obvious. The Trail Blazers were making space in the middle for Donovan Clingan, who steps into a much-expanded role in his second year.
Jrue Holiday and Donovan Clingan will take Blazers' defense to new heights
While they may have missed the playoffs again this year, the Portland Trail Blazers' 2024-25 season has been widely deemed a success from a rebuilding standpoint. The Trail Blazers' first-round picks from each of the past three seasons (Shaedon Sharpe, Scoot Henderson, and Donovan Clingan) each made encouraging strides last year, with two young players acquired in trades emerging as perhaps Portland's two most impactful players.
Deni Avdija and Toumani Camara (each acquired by trade) emerged as the de facto leaders of the team last year.
Avdija became the focal point of the Trail Blazers' offense last season, showing flashes in the latter half of the year that gave many Portland fans faith that the 6'8" forward could become an all-star with continued opportunity and improvement.
Camara, meanwhile, established himself as the team's defensive leader. The 6'7" wing guarded the opponent's best ball-handler or wing on a nightly basis, and acquitted himself well, earning All-Defensive Second Team honors.
Taking a step back to observe the Blazers' offseason as a whole, Cronin's intended trajectory for the franchise becomes clear. They will be big, dominant on defense, and patient with the development of their young prospects.
Even if Portland misses the playoffs again this year, they will be a force defensively. And a team that plays defense is easy to root for, especially a team that's trending upward.