The Portland Trail Blazers have spent the 2024-25 regular season attempting to strike a balance between the quality veterans and the promising up-and-comers. It's produced compelling results, with Portland displaying the potential to become a playoff team sooner than expected.
As the young players continue to reveal just how ready they are for the spotlight, however, Portland must be willing to make the difficult decision to clear the path for them.
Entering the 2024-25 season, the general consensus was that Portland's three best players were Deandre Ayton, Jerami Grant, and Anfernee Simons. Between their history of quality production and the contracts their play earned, that trio understandably took center stage.
As the regular season nears its conclusion, however, there appears to be a different power structure than previously anticipated.
A young core has begun to form, seemingly centering around Deni Avdija, Toumani Camara, Donovan Clingan, Scoot Henderson, and Shaedon Sharpe. Portland has also seen signs of promise from the likes of Dalano Blanton, Kris Murray, and Duop Reath.
Veteran leadership will continue to prove essential moving forward, but the Trail Blazers need to draw lines in the sand, part with certain veterans, and enable the young core to play in featured roles.
Trail Blazers must trade veterans to clear path for younger players
Avdija has been the breakout star for Portland in 2024-25, thriving in every phase of the game and realizing his lottery pick potential. He's averaging 26.8 points, 11.2 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 3.8 offensive boards, 1.2 steals, and 3.2 three-point field goals made over his past 13 appearances, as well as 19.9 points per game since Christmas.
Sharpe hasn't been too far behind with an average of 22.2 points per contest over his past 22 games, while Henderson has posted marks of 14.2 points and 5.2 assists over his last 35 showings.
Camara and Clingan, meanwhile, represent the defensive future in Portland. Camara is a 24-year-old forward proving that he can provide value in every phase of the game, while Clingan is already displaying the potential to become a defensive anchor at 14.2 rebounds and 3.0 blocks per 36 minutes.
The growth of the up-and-comers has played a direct role in the Trail Blazers achieving a significant turnaround after a 13-28 start to the season.
Since Jan. 18, the Trail Blazers have accumulated a record of 22-17. Ayton, Grant, and Simons have continued to produce quality numbers and provide a valuable veteran presence, but the highlight of the team's success has been the arrival of future pillars as players with instant value.
The next step will be exploring the trade market for Ayton, Grant, and Simons, thus ensuring that the youth movement is uninhibited in its growth into franchise cornerstones.
By trading at least one of the three veterans on big contracts, Portland would clear minutes and touches for players who fit more seamlessly into the team's long-term future. That will not only allow said individuals to inch closer to realizing their potential, but enable them to play through their mistakes instead of allowing themselves to fade into the background as veterans step up in their place.
This will require difficult decisions to be made, but that's the cost of a promising young team taking a sustainable step forward as their players search for room to grow.