The Portland Trail Blazers entered this season intending to bottom out to position themselves for a top draft pick in a strong 2025 class headlined by Cooper Flagg. With only two offseason additions to a 21-win team, the second-youngest roster, and one of the toughest schedules, it seemed inevitable they'd land another top-seven selection for the fourth consecutive year.
That looked to be the case early on, as Portland entered 2025 with an 11-21 record. Surprisingly, the Blazers now find themselves four games out of a play-in spot at 28-34. Whether that is a good or bad thing depends on who you ask -- the reality is it's a mixed bag.
The idea of not having a realistic shot at Flagg is disappointing, but at best, Portland would have just a 14 percent chance at landing that franchise-altering player. There was always a risk associated with bottoming out. The Blazers could have finished with a horrible record, showed minimal player development from their young core, and still not been able to land Flagg.
They played it safe by adding an already-established player in Deni Avdija this past summer. The move has paid off, especially considering his team-friendly contract. However, while the deal raised Portland's floor, it also may have lowered its long-term ceiling.
Blazers could accelerate rebuild with big move this summer
Even if veterans are traded, the Blazers' young core is too talented to bottom out, hurting their chances at a top-four pick. But the exciting thing for Blazers fans is that this could officially mean Portland's rebuild is coming to an end.
Sean Highkin of The Rose Garden Report suggests that Portland is more likely to make a big move in the offseason rather than return to tanking, writing, "It's more likely that they try to do something big in the offseason than it is that they go into next season intending to tank again like they did this year before they won too much to make that realistic."
Cronin has previously said that accelerating the rebuild depends on the young core proving they're ready to turn flashes of upside into consistent production. While the Blazers may regret not having better draft odds, they've achieved other goals this season, such as player development and roster clarity. Key contributors like Camara, Avdija, Scoot Henderson, and, to a lesser extent, Shaedon Sharpe have all taken significant leaps.
With their young core proving they are ready to compete, the Blazers finally have a clear path to accelerate their rebuild. Adding Avdija and Camara has sped up their timeline, and they could potentially target a go-to star this summer for a playoff push as soon as next season.
Depending on who the player is and what is required to land him, this transitional season could be worth it despite likely missing out on the Flagg sweepstakes.