The Portland Trail Blazers will feature 14-15 players on the roster in the 2026-27 season. But no two will be bigger than Damian Lillard and Ja Morant. Trading for Morant has already grabbed the summer headlines in Portland. Lillard’s return will take over as training camp commences.
The roiling storm of anticipation has taken over the Blazer’s Edge Mailbag, typified by this question about the two stars:
Dave,
I’m excited about Ja Morant and Dame being on the team but I’m nervous about how they fit.
What’s your view on them starting together if it ends up like that?
David
Let’s talk about it. Frankly, I’m more intrigued than hopeful. It’s like someone said to Blazers General Manager Joe Cronin, “We need another star!” And then, “Wait…not like that.”
Lillard and Morant are both great players in this league. We shouldn’t undersell that. Each, in his own way, reshaped his environment: Lillard with dramatic and persistent three-point shooting, Morant with spectacular dunks and amazing pick-and-roll play. They weren’t only pillars of their small-market franchises, they became legitimate headline-grabbers, faces of the league.
All of that was half a decade ago or more, though. Age, injures, and the evolution of the game have left Lillard an elder statesman and Morant in the dark. Each has been—in effect—released by their former team, Lillard outright and Morant via a low-value trade. The names on the jerseys remain the same; effect on the court does not.
These zero doubt that Lillard and Morant are still flush with the currencies that earned them prominence in the sport. Either is capable of scoring 20. In a half, even! They’re first-option offensive players. Talent like that can’t be manufactured or replaced. They will be the first players mentioned in opening reels of opposing-team broadcasts every night.
Still, it’s hard to avoid the impression of the Blazers opening up a time capsule here. The 6’2, super-scoring guard was the archetype for the 2010’s NBA, not the 2020’s.
In a league that values length and versatility on defense, Morant and Lillard are undersized and non-aggressive. They’re the players opponents now bait into switches, leaving the Blazers facing as many mismatches as they cause.
The NBA now prioritizes speed on offense. Lillard and Morant are unapologetic halfcourt players. Portland fans will remember the utter lack of transition baskets when Lillard dominated Portland’s offense. That wasn’t accidental. It’s likely to be repeated whenever he is the focal point.
Today’s offense emphasizes ball movement and an “anyone, anywhere, anytime” scoring mentality, Lillard and Morant are possession-dominant. They’re special precisely because they are the center of gravity.
Having one of these players on the roster would be an interesting experiment, particularly at the cost the Blazers paid for their new stars. Having two of these players on the roster raises questions. Whose team is this? What style will they play? When the chips are down and one shot wins the game, who takes it: Lillard, Morant, or someone else?
Starting both guards side-by-side—as it has been speculated the Blazers will do—accentuates their potential pitfalls. One smaller, more limited defender in the backcourt can be compensated for, particularly if that defensively-challenged player also puts up 24 per night. Two limited defenders playing together create liabilities that no amount of teammate rotations can overcome. While it’s easy to envision Lillard or Morant scoring 24, can they really put up 48 per night combined? Offensive production is fragile, defensive deficiencies far more persistent.
That’s the real issue here. Both players are great, but we know their drawbacks. Those are guaranteed to show whenever either is on the court, to be amplified when both of them play together. It’s inescapable. In aggregate, their personal gifts and offensive contributions will not only need to equal the potential deficits, but exceed them on a nightly basis. Otherwise, as talented as these guards are, they’re not going to propel the team forward.
Personally, I have my doubts. I have a hard time imagining a world in which Lillard and Morant become effective defenders individually, let alone locking seamlessly with each other and teammates. I don’t see them producing in the fashion we’re accustomed while playing in a fast-paced, pass-heavy offense. I don’t foresee their production being additive rather than zero-sum. They’re more likely to drag the team into their style than the team is to open up new possibilities for them.
I can see scenarios in which Morant and Lillard both prosper. It’s possible that Dame will not, in fact, recover to his pre-injury, youthful form. He could become the star emeritus, leaving most of the minutes and touches to Morant. It’s also possible that Lillard becomes an off-ball guard, translating his three-point shooting skill into quick offense when defenses collapse to stop Morant in the pick-and-roll. Lillard coming off the bench would fit either role and would ease some of the pressure.
The problem is, I don’t see any of these options as the initial game plan. I believe Lillard and Morant are both fully intent on re-establishing themselves as full-fledged stars. I also think the gravity of their stories—due to their fame and talent, if nothing else—will create huge questions on the floor and in the locker room, questions that may overshadow the progress made by the team as a whole and younger members of it.
The Blazers are trying to do a difficult thing, turning semi-recycled parts into the next wave of NBA contention, bucking current trends with the old pattern. That usually doesn’t work well. Both they and the players involved will have to show proof of concept before anyone believes it can be accomplished.
Until then, Lillard and Morant forecast as a ln interesting, flashy sidebar to the season, a fascinating chemistry experiment distracting from an otherwise nondescript team. It’s impossible to credit them with anything more until they show that the possibilities inherent in the vision outweigh its obvious liabilities.
Thanks for the question! You can always send yours to blazersub@gmail.com and we’ll try to answer as many as possible!
