The Portland Trail Blazers are entering the second season of their rebuild following the Damian Lillard trade request that shaped the entire NBA landscape. They now have a deep roster consisting of 12 or 13 players capable of playing quality minutes. While depth is their strength, they aren't top-heavy enough and lack a go-to star.
It's unclear who the Blazers' best player is entering 2024-25. Whether it's Jerami Grant, Anfernee Simons, Deandre Ayton, or newly acquired Deni Avdija is debatable. Scoot Henderson or Shaedon Sharpe could eventually take over that role if they make a significant enough jump, although that would likely be in the coming seasons and not this year.
With how loaded the Western Conference is, particularly this year, it's going to be nearly impossible for the Blazers to make the playoffs, barring a blockbuster move for a star, which seems unlikely at this stage in their rebuild.
Avdija and Clingan will help Blazers in key areas
The additions of Avdija and Donovan Clingan should help the Blazers, both this season and in the long term. Avdija provides Portland with something they desperately lacked last season as a two-way wing that can contribute in multiple aspects and elevate their overall level of play. His versatility should provide Chauncey Billups much more flexibility regarding lineup combinations, as he can play positions two through four.
Clingan may seem redundant from a positional standpoint, as the Blazers now have four centers on their roster. But his rim protection and rebounding, in particular, are going to make an immediate impact for Portland. The Blazers held opponents to just 70.8 percent at the rim, which was the second-worst in the league behind only the Wizards. Portland also finished dead last in defensive rebounding at 30.1 per game, which is another weakness Clingan will help address.
Blazers' season expectations should still be tempered
Avdija and Clingan are reasons for optimism entering 2024-25, but expectations for the Blazers' season should still be tempered. For one, the loss of Malcolm Brogdon can't be overlooked.
Brogdon was the only true floor general on the Blazers' roster (Scoot could eventually become that, but he still needs to improve his turnovers and overall decision-making). He was also the best three-point shooter on the team last season at 41.2 percent, and the Blazers were already significantly hurting that department as a team that finished dead last in the league.
They also have a grueling schedule, with their tough start to the season against Western Conference teams and as the team that has to travel the most miles throughout the season, with Portland being so far away from the rest of the NBA cities.
They should have more overall lineup consistency this season. But injuries are already starting to pile up yet again. Shaedon Sharpe (left shoulder tear) and Matisse Thybulle (right knee inflammation) are out for multiple weeks, while Robert Williams III (grade 1 hamstring strain) appears unlikely to play in the season opener against the Warriors.
The average age of the Blazers roster is 24, making them amongst the youngest teams in the league. With that comes growing pains that could cost them a few games this season. It's also possible that they will lose more games toward the end of the season if the playoffs are out of reach in an attempt to position themselves for a better draft pick in 2025, which should be factored into the prediction.
Taking all of this into account, the Blazers should hover around the 21 wins they had last season.
Trail Blazers record prediction: 23-59