On paper, the Portland Trail Blazers are a much better team than their record indicates. That's primarily because of the early-season injuries they've suffered, the most notable of which was starting point guard Jrue Holiday.
The Blazers were playing much better basketball before Holiday went down on Nov. 14. The calf strain has lingered into 2026 as the Blazers' veteran surprisingly still remains without a timeline to return.
While we obviously never wish injuries on anyone, could this turn out to be a blessing in disguise in terms of Portland's long-term outlook?
Jrue Holiday injury mystery comes with a silver lining for Portland
The Blazers have now missed the playoffs for four consecutive seasons and seem on track for a fifth year, even if they do manage to make a play-in spot. While many fans are understandably eager to return to playoff relevance, this could be the last season Portland has a chance at landing a coveted draft pick (at least with their own pick -- those picks from the Milwaukee Bucks' Damian Lillard deal are looking increasingly better).
This past summer, Portland took a home run swing on Yang Hansen with the No. 16 overall pick. Given the limited production he's shown early on, they may wind up striking out with that pick. While their young core is starting to take shape, they must continue adding to it in order to catch up out west, especially after looking at teams like the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs that aren't going away anytime soon.
Not to mention, the Blazers still owe the Chicago Bulls a lottery-protected first-round pick from their Larry Nance Jr. deal in 2021. Given the strength of the 2026 draft class with multiple headliners such as Cameron Boozer, AJ Dybantsa, and Darryn Peterson, the Blazers should want to increase their odds of finding a co-star for Deni Avdija.
Early on, we saw a glimpse of what this Blazers team can become at full strength. They were fun to watch and looked like an entirely different team compared to last season, moving the ball on offense and picking teams up the length of the court on defense. That all went away when Holiday and others left the picture.
Avdija stepped up in Holiday's absence by becoming more of a primary offensive initiator, resulting in what will likely be his first All-Star campaign. But that's still not enough to become genuine contenders.
Portland now has a golden opportunity to land one of those top-tier prospects for a young core that will only be getting better next season. With their improved health, continued development, Damian Lillard's return, Avdija's breakout, and another lottery pick, next year presents perfect timing for the Blazers to finally go all-in as a playoff threat.
That's why this Holiday injury, while disappointing, could align well in the scheme of Portland's rebuild. This was a transitional season for them anyway. Next year is when everything comes together, and the magic happens.