The Portland Trail Blazers are hanging their hat as a defensive-minded team heading into the 2025-26 season.
That identity is propped up by the second half of last season, which saw Portland field the third-best defense in the Association over the final 41 games. It was also symbolized by defensive lynchpin Toumani Camara taking home All-Defensive Second Team honors in just his second season. Camara’s win, plus the addition of Jrue Holiday this summer, means Portland will enter the season with four
players who have garnered All-Defensive Team honors during their career: Camara (‘25), Holiday (‘18, ‘19, ‘21, ‘22, ‘23, ‘24), Matisse Thybulle (’21, ‘22) and Robert Williams III (’22).
Earlier this morning, the first installment in today’s three-part community discussion question series asked if a Blazer will win the Most Improved Player Award. Here, the second question is all about defense: Will a Trail Blazer make an All-Defensive Team during the 2025-26 season?
There’s also a second level to this question if you’re feeling really bullish about Portland’s chances this season: Could two Blazers players make an All-Defensive Team? Or could a Blazer make the All-Defensive First Team? For one of those options to come true, it wouldn’t take just sparkling individual performances, but the Blazers would likely need to take a serious leap as a team — something like finishing top six in the West, at least, and fielding a top-five defense in the NBA.
Here are the primary All-Defensive candidates on the roster, according to this writer: Camara, Holiday, Donovan Clingan and Matisse Thybulle.
What do you think, Blazer’s Edge community? Call your shot now and let us know in the comments below!
