Blazers poised for new identity in 2024-25 thanks to much-needed key change

The most significant piece in the Portland Trail Blazers' entire rebuild is their promising backcourt of Scoot Henderson, Shaedon Sharpe, and Anfernee Simons. Last season, that trio continued to miss over 100 games. They are entering the 2024-25 season with a much healthier roster; this is excellent news for several reasons, one being that head coach Chauncey Billups can finally emphasize the fast pace of play that the Blazers tried implementing last season before injuries derailed that plan.

Blazers to pick up the pace in 2024-25

Billups emphasized this change to their style of play at Media Day. "We don't have that go get a bucket, iso guy [that we can rely on] every single time. We can't afford to play that way. We have to play fast. We have to move the basketball."

Players who will benefit from this change

Last season, the Blazers had a pace of play of 97.88, the tenth-lowest in the league. They need their team identity to match their roster as a guard-heavy, young, and athletic team. Scoot and Sharpe, in particular, are both at their best when they are attacking downhill and utilizing their elite athleticism. The easiest way to put them in a position to do so is through fastbreak opportunities.

Additionally, Scoot's biggest weaknesses early on in his career are his finishing ability and three-point shooting; these should be mitigated by the Blazers playing in fewer half-court sets, which will open up the offense more and create easier looks.

This will also be easier to accomplish next season without Malcolm Brogdon in the equation. Brogdon is a methodical player, which is part of the reason why he's such a great floor general, but it's also contrasting to how Billups envisions the Blazers playing this season.

Playing faster should benefit the Blazers' new big man, Donovan Clingan. He will be an immediate impact rookie, particularly on the defensive end, but he is still relatively raw offensively by modern-day NBA center standards. Getting out in transition would help utilize Clingan's physical tools and generate more opportunities at the rim. While his conditioning still needs some improvement, he won't be getting starter minutes, and the Blazers' excess amount of centers will help spell him for stretches.

Deni Avdija also addressed his excitement about playing fast this season. "The team is young. We're going to run the floor a lot this year because we're so athletic and fast. It's going to be huge for us this season." Deni's former team, the Washington Wizards, was first in pace of play last season at 103.07, so it's certainly a brand of basketball he's comfortable and familiar with.

Playing to Portland's strengths

Having a deep bench, in general, is another reason why the Blazers need to increase their pace this season. As Billups alludes to, Portland lacks a clear-cut superstar that many teams in the league have. They aren't going to win many games playing the traditional way and need to get creative with how to optimize the talent on their roster.

One of the strengths of having a roster with 12-14 players capable of seeing substantial minutes is that they can try to wear out other teams and turn the game into a track meet. They'll win more games playing this way, as the depth of their roster separates them from other teams.

This style of play is long overdue, but it should make the Blazers better (and more entertaining) this upcoming season. If it inflates certain players' stats and increases their trade value, well, that's just a bonus.