Portland is in limbo after winning 36 games last season. They have some young talent, but traded away guard Anfernee Simons for veteran leadership in Jrue Holiday. It is clear that they want to try to win this season, but it is unclear why. The roster is not good enough to compete in the West, but it is not bad enough to be in contention for the number one pick. Although, as Mavericks fans know, you just need to be in the lottery to have a chance.
They have not won 40 games since 2021. Chauncey Billups
has not won more than 36 as head coach. The outlook for the Trailblazers this upcoming season is hard to assess because of this. You expect them to make some sort of jump, but it is hard to tell if that will lead to any additional wins. Deni Avdija may be on the best contract in the league, but they have not put enough around him to make a strong case for them to be this year’s surprise playoff hopeful. It will truly be a “just have fun out there” season in the Pacific Northwest.
Portland Trailblazers: Over/Under 34.5 (-102/-120)
Last Season: 36-46
Additions: Jrue Holiday, Yang Hansen, Damian Lillard (in spirit)
Losses: Deandre Ayton, Anfernee Simons
The Blazers, for better or for worse, are trying to win. They have a lot of weird pieces, a Scoot Henderson problem, and a coach who has not proven much in his tenure. Despite all of this, their win total is too low for a team that won 36 games last season. You could argue that losing Ayton actually helped this team, and Yang Hansen is an exciting player to eventually step into that role, along with Donovan Clingan. They just need Henderson to be better than really bad, and I think that 35 wins is in the cards yet again.
