HoopsHype recently released its ranking for the top 27 point guards heading into the 2026-27 season, and Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard was surprisingly nowhere to be found inside the top 15.
Portland had three point guards make the list, which goes to show another trade could ultimately be in their best interest to find better roster balance. Here's where their point guards ranked:
- No. 27: Jrue Holiday
- No. 20: Ja Morant
- No. 17: Damian Lillard
Holiday should arguably be higher as well after the strong first season he had in Portland, proving he still has plenty of gas left in the tank at 36.
The fact that it's projecting how these point guards will fare in 2026-27 makes it more difficult to rank Morant. He's more talented than a handful of players ahead of him, though there are enough question marks both on and off the court.
Scalability is a cause for concern as a ball-dominant guard who likes to get downhill, can't play much defense, and can't space the floor. Teams can't contend with Morant as their go-to option, yet he's a far worse off-ball fit. Portland is betting on the talent to win out over fit.
Damian Lillard is being underestimated coming back from injury
Lillard is another undersized offensive-minded guard who is difficult to rank for other reasons. While we don't know whether he'll return to 100 percent form, he did already prove he's still among the league's premier shooters after winning the 3-Point Contest.
There's a higher level of uncertainty compared to other point guards on the list, but with that comes a higher ceiling if Lillard can return anywhere close to form. The patient rehab approach will help, as will his elite work ethic.
San Antonio's De'Aaron Fox and Utah's rookie Darryn Peterson came in at No. 14 and 13 on the ranking, respectively, which are two players even Spurs and Jazz fans would likely tell you they'd rather have Lillard for next season. Had the Spurs had Lillard's decision-making, clutch shot-making, and floor spacing for Victor Wembanyama, that could be a drastic enough upgrade that they'd be the ones coming away with the rings instead of New York.
Lillard belongs in the more talented and proven tier ahead of someone who dropped in the playoffs and someone who hasn't even played an NBA game.
That next tier does come with polarizing star power or a level of uncertainty attached to the star ceiling that makes Lillard a perfect fit in that 9-12 range. LaMelo Ball, Trae Young, and James Harden all recently saw new homes in the past year as teams moved on from their stars who have yet to prove they can lead a franchise to a championship.
There are legitimate questions surrounding all three, to the point where Lillard's cloud over the Achilles tear actually makes it a great fit for this group. It's fair to wonder how many the Blazers would even willingly take over Lillard, too. It's possible that list starts and ends with LaMelo Ball.
Despite everything Lillard has proven and accomplished throughout his Hall of Fame career, he's somehow underrated heading into the 2026-27 season. There are valid concerns regarding the history of players returning from such a brutal injury, especially this late in their career.
But we've never seen Dame go through it. For someone who's defied odds at each stop in his journey to the NBA, what makes anyone think this obstacle will be any different?
Portland could very well have a top 10 point guard on its hands this season, as Lillard is ready to remind everyone who he is.
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