The Portland Trail Blazers should look to the 2024 Dallas Mavericks as a blueprint to fit Ja Morant into an offense that already has point forward Deni Avdija. It's similar to the matchup advantages Luka Doncic created as the primary ballhandler and offensive initiator. But he also never had that entire offensive playmaking burden fall on his shoulders, frequently relying on Kyrie Irving.
Admittedly, it's a wonkier offensive fit in Portland, especially since Avdija and Morant are two players who are at their best attacking the rim. Avdija led the league in drives per game last season at 19.4, while Morant tied for fifth at 15.7. There's simply not enough drives to go around, and something will have to give with a hierarchy being established.
That's why Portland should look at the success Dallas had with a dual playmaking backcourt and feel comfortable making it work, with Morant being the Robin to Avdija's Batman. Micah Nori may have to alternate their minutes more than Jason Kidd did with Doncic and Irving because of Avdija and Morant's overlapping downhill games.
Blazers must figure out how Ja Morant best complements Deni Avdija
When sharing the court, one downside of having Avdija initiate the offense is Morant's inability to space the floor, shooting 31.1 percent from deep in his career and just 23.5 percent in a limited 20-game stretch last season. But the offseason emphasis was to build off Avdija's All-Star ascension by surrounding him with complementary pieces. To put the ball in Morant's hands more frequently because Avdija is the more well-rounded player largely defeats that purpose.
That's the biggest concern surrounding this trade for the Blazers. They essentially gave up nothing, arguably even a net negative package with Jerami Grant being the headliner. Only the steeper price could come in any potential negative impact Moran's arrival will have on Avdija's continued growth.
Dallas had it clearly established that it was Doncic's team, but still gave Irving plenty of opportunity to do his own thing through the game as one of the best shot creators the league has ever seen. The Blazers currently have a Walmart version of that in Morant.
Still, they're hoping this buy-low trade and reclamation project pays off after what was statistically the worst and most inefficient season of his entire career. If that's the case, Portland can be a dangerous playoff team with these two taking on most of the playmaking duties.
The strength of this roster lies in the elite role players. The two-way players like Toumani Camara, Donovan Clingan, and Robert Williams III rely heavily on others to set them up to score but more than make up for it with defense and intangibles. That was also a big part of the formula in Dallas -- one the Los Angeles Lakers are even desperately trying to emulate with their moves this offseason, such as the blockbuster trade for Walker Kessler to get Doncic that big man he always loves to have at his disposal.
Offense was always the question mark with this Blazers roster, and we saw them have no other option to turn to after the San Antonio Spurs were able to contain Avdija at times throughout the first-round playoff series. Morant's arrival gives the Blazers another offensive dimension, hopefully one that complements Avdija's game. That is, if they can establish a clear offensive hierarchy by continuing to utilize him as a point forward.
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