The Portland Trail Blazers have a surplus of talent, but their three-point shooting is creating a self-inflicted wound.
The Portland Trail Blazers are laying the groundwork for something special. The youth movement they've committed to while paying big money to veterans such as Deandre Ayton, Jerami Grant, and Anfernee Simons has positioned Portland to knock on the postseason door.
If the Trail Blazers are going to elicit the response they're hoping for, however, then they desperately need to improve their three-point shooting.
Portland was the proverbial tale of two halves during the 2024-25 regular season. It went 13-28 across its first 41 games, but shockingly turned a corner and played above-.500 basketball the rest of the way at 23-18 over its final 41.
It was a brilliantly balanced display from a Trail Blazers team that overcame long-term absences from Ayton and Grant to prove that it's ready to make noise in the Western Conference.
Unfortunately, the Trail Blazers' potential success will likely be impeded by a flaw they've yet to find an answer to. Internal growth is certainly possible, but external sources of improvement will need to be explored this coming offseason.
If Portland fails to refine its three-point shooting, a remarkably promising young core will run into a wall it may not yet be prepared to climb.
Portland Trail Blazers desperately need to improve three-point shooting
The Trail Blazers finished the 2024-25 regular season ranked No. 19 in three-point field goals made and No. 26 in three-point field goal percentage. Their commitment to improving is on display, however, in the fact that Portland finished in the top half of the NBA in attempts.
Unfortunately, increasing their efficiency may require the Trail Blazers to replace of some of their current players given how poorly they've performed in catch-and-shoot situations.
Portland ranked No. 13 in catch-and-shoot three-point field goal attempts in 2024-25—another example of their focus on growth through experience. Unfortunately, they were No. 28 in catch-and-shoot three-point field goal percentage.
It's a positive sign that the Trail Blazers are playing as a team and aspiring to generate open looks, but at some point, the players need to find a way to knock them down.
To make matters worse, Portland shot 4.1 percent below the NBA average on left corner threes and 2.8 percent worse from the right corner. That epitomizes the personnel issue, as the Trail Blazers lack players who can bury one of the most efficient and readily available shots in the game.
As such, the offseason strategy is unavoidable: Add players who can not only space the floor, but thrive in catch-and-shoot situations.
Even if said players are found, however, the current group of featured individuals must show signs of progress. A healthy version of Grant would certainly help with his team-leading 2.2 conversions per game, but a group-wide step forward will be the only way to turn this weakness into a strength.
Until the Trail Blazers are able to convert the open looks they're creating for each other, their immense potential as a team will have a ceiling.