An unexpected Trail Blazers lineup that could make a significant impact

The NBA is a wing-oriented league. If you include Jaylen Brown, 11 of the past 13 Finals MVPs have been forwards, with the only exceptions being Stephen Curry and Nikola Jokic. Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups needs a wing-heavy lineup that he can go to when needed.

It will be especially important while Shaedon Sharpe recovers from injury, with an estimated timeline of four to six weeks to recover. Without Sharpe, the Blazers suddenly have a shallow backcourt, which was a strength of theirs just last season. Dalano Banton is currently on a non-guaranteed deal and is still fighting to make the Blazers' 15-man roster, but he could be the first guard coming off the bench if he does. Because of this, Billups must get creative with his lineups while Sharpe is out.

Surprising Trail Blazers lineup to consider

• PG: Anfernee Simons

• SG: Deni Avdija

• SF: Jerami Grant

• PF: Toumani Camara

• C: Donovan Clingan

This lineup differs from their projected starting five by having the Blazers play bigger. They have more frontcourt talent and can be a much better defensive team with the increased size, which has been an issue for them since the Damian Lillard-CJ McCollum era. Toumani Camara replaces Scoot Henderson, Donovan Clingan replaces Deandre Ayton, and each remaining player slides down one position.

In this case, the two, three, and four positions are more of a formality, as all the wings can effectively defend each position. Camara would likely take on the task of guarding the opposing team's best player, expending his energy on the defensive end to allow for Deni Avdija and Jerami Grant to do more of the heavy lifting on offense.

Clingan gets the nod over Ayton due to his rim protection and size, which better aligns with the lineup's emphasis on putting defensive pieces alongside Anfernee Simons.

Building around Anfernee Simons

This group would play to Simons' strengths and weaknesses. It is precisely the type of lineup that Damian Lillard would have thrived with Portland, which makes sense, considering how similar the two players are. Simons is an exceptional combo guard and elite three-point shooter, but he lacks in certain areas that this lineup would compensate for.

Although Simons is the Blazers' best option for the point guard spot, given Scoot Henderson's growing pains, he's not a traditional pass-first point guard or floor general who thrives off getting teammates involved. His 5.8 assists per game last year was a significant improvement from the prior seasons, but it still isn't great for a team's primary ballhandler.

The fact that Simons is more of a combo guard would be made up for by the playmaking ability of the Blazers' two key offseason additions, Avdija and Clingan, who both have high basketball IQs and are solid passers for their respective positions.

However, the main issue with Simons is on the defensive end. He's often a liability due to his undersized frame at 6-foot-3, 181 pounds. The modern NBA hunts for mismatches now more than ever, and Simons will get picked on whenever he is on the court. But he's still arguably the Blazers' best player and is too talented not to be included in this lineup. That concern is addressed by having a wall of three lengthy wings between 6-foot-9 Avdija, 6-foot-9 Grant, and 6-foot-8 Camara, all of which can switch onto multiple positions.

This group gives the Blazers a much more versatile lineup that can impact winning in various aspects outside of just scoring the ball at a high level, which is a significant issue with their current projected starting lineup.

This lineup has a little bit of everything. It's built around Simons, but Avdija is the only reason it works, as his well-rounded game elevates their level of play in virtually all categories.