The Portland Trail Blazers have plenty of exciting up-and-coming pieces that should only continue to improve as they gain more experience. Of those young players, Deni Avdija, Toumani Camara, and Donovan Clingan should be considered the foundational pieces over Scoot Henderson, Anfernee Simons, and Shaedon Sharpe.
This was a topic covered by Sam Vecenie and Bryce Simon on the Game Theory Podcast, where they recently previewed the Blazers' offseason. They note that all three of these core players are on undervalued contracts and are difference-makers given their two-way impact -- both of which are pivotal for building a contender, particularly under the new CBA.
Portland's newfound identity lies in its frontcourt
Vecenie referred to the forward duo of Avdija and Camara as Portland's "real identity that you can build off of, especially given the fact that Deni is on this incredible contract moving forward." Avdija has arguably the best contract in the entire association, owed just under $40 million over the next three seasons, while Camara and Clingan are still on their rookie deals.
As Vecenie notes, the Blazers are establishing a defensive-minded identity between their elite rim protector and two switchable wings out on the perimeter. The main reason the Blazers are too talented to embrace a full-on tank, and why they managed to improve their win total by 15, is because of these recent acquisitions.
Portland's frontcourt was previously a weakness but quickly became a strength after Joe Cronin stole Avdija and Camara in trades, and Clingan fell to them in last year's draft. Avdija has emerged as Portland's best player and will look to build off an incredible first year in Rip City. Camara and Clingan were recently recognized with Second Team honors in All-Defense and All-Rookie, respectively, highlighting the impact they had on this season and will continue to have moving forward.
Where do the Blazers go from here?
Portland could still use more forward depth behind Avdija and Camara, as their versatility allows Chauncey Billups more flexibility with his rotations. However, the fact that their core pieces are in their frontcourt means they must make upgrading their backcourt a top priority this summer.
Simons, Sharpe, and Henderson had the three worst defensive ratings on the team this season. The Blazers had a top-ten-ranked defense in 2025 despite their guards' defensive woes, but they need to address this to become a sustainable and elite defense. Henderson and Sharpe still have the potential to join Portland's core as a foundational piece, but both players have been too inconsistent to be relied on that heavily.
Simons has seven seasons under his belt and is more of a finished product, which is one reason he should be the odd man out of Portland's backcourt trio that needs a shakeup. But if they do trade Simons, the Blazers will be hurting what is already a roster weakness in their lack of shooting and playmaking, as he's one of their best offensive weapons.
Of their three core pieces, Avdija is the only one capable of initiating the offense on a consistent basis. That makes it critical for Portland to find him more help, especially if Simons is no longer in the picture.