As almost all Portland Trail Blazers fans know, Rip City has been full of flashy, splashy moves this summer. The Blazers traded with the Boston Celtics for veteran guard Jrue Holiday, selected Chinese center Yang Hansen in the 2025 NBA Draft, and then signed former franchise superstar Damian Lillard after the Milwaukee Bucks let him go. The names on the reader board could hardly be bigger, a welcome sight after years of relative inactvity.
Gauging how much these moves actually affect Portland’s on-court
prospects is a little more difficult. Analysts and experts have been measured in their approach. That continued today as The Athletic published offseason grades for all 30 NBA teams [subscription required]. The Blazers received a C, with a summary written by long-time Portland media member Jason Quick:
If this offseason was about intrigue and heartstrings, the Blazers would get an A. But when it comes to basketball moves, Portland’s summer was a curious and confusing exercise. Signing an injured Damian Lillard healed fans’ wounded hearts. The surprise draft of Chinese center Yang Hansen at No. 16 has the look of a fun project, and the trade for aging Jrue Holiday and his $100-plus million contract is palatable if the Blazers were on the cusp of contending … but they are not. How Lillard fits into the Holiday-Scoot Henderson point guard rotation in 2026 is a big question, and so too is how soon Yang can contribute. But no question is bigger than the one left by the trade of Anfernee Simons to Boston: Do the Blazers have enough shooting?
The average grade is typical of those offered by other sources. It’s hard to find anyone who’s upset about Portland’s progress this summer, but it’s equally hard to find anyone overly excited about it.
More from blazersedge.com:
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- How Terry Stotts Can Tweak the Trail Blazers’ Offense
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- Could Carmelo Anthony End Up in Portland?
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- Portland Trail Blazers Mock Draft Roundup
