Much has been made this offseason of the Trail Blazers’ lack of shooting and wing depth, and the solution to those problems remains unclear. One thing is certain: someone will have to step up and fill a bigger role than expected for Portland, but who will it be?
The most pressure will be on Vit Krejci because of his veteran status, but a Sidy Cissoko leap could be a game-changer too. John Tonje has a shot at being an out-of-left-field contributor, but that’s not who the Blazers want to be banking on.
Underneath all the confusion lies another potential puzzle-completer that nobody is talking about. Jayson Kent, Tonje’s two-way contract buddy, could be exactly what Portland needs on the wing if he can break out in 2026-27.
A Jayson Kent breakout is quietly brewing
Kent went undrafted in 2025 out of Texas, and he had to tooth and claw his way to his first professional opportunity. The Austin native made the Rip City Remix roster last season via open tryout. Once he set foot in the G League, he quickly proved he was being seriously overlooked as a prospect.
When March 2026 rolled around, Kent earned a two-way with the Blazers, and he went on to log 22 minutes in five games for the team. Now, heading into year two in Portland, he’s primed to make even more noise.
There’s a lot to be intrigued by in Kent’s game. He profiles as an energetic 3&D wing—the type of role player Portland’s bench is missing. His three-ball isn’t fully proven (more on that in a second), but the defense is already in place for Kent.
The 24-year-old is a strong on-ball clamper. He’s best as a wing stopper, but he can be used at the point-of-attack against guards too—the only issue there is he struggles somewhat as a screen navigator. Kent is also a solid event creator who can disrupt for steals and deliver chase-down blocks in transition.
Kent could be a solution to Portland’s problems
As for his three-point shot, it looked really good in the G League in 2025-26. His form is clean and repeatable with a high release point, and he was quite efficient. He drilled 44.3% of his spot-up triples and 40.4% of his guarded catch-and-shoot tries last year, according to Synergy.
The questions lie in his overall track record, because in college, he went 29.4% from deep across five seasons. Nothing about his G League success from out yonder screams unsustainable in a vacuum, but the legitimacy of his jumper must be monitored because of that muddy history.
If Kent’s shooting is for real, the Blazers could have their next two-way gem on their hands. Kent’s athleticism, defense, and play finishing are NBA-level, and establishing himself as an outside threat would push him over the hump and into rotation-minute contention.
Kent’s off-ball utility and defensive determination make him the kind of wing that would thrive playing alongside Deni Avdija, Damian Lillard, and Ja Morant. He has a chance to share the floor with those stars if he continues to improve.
He hasn’t gotten much hype, but Kent has a pathway to becoming an important piece for this Blazers team. Don’t count him out.
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