Remember basketball, Portland Trail Blazers fans? The joy and delightful surprises it can bring to fans?
Like Samwise Gamgee remembering spring in the Shire, sitting far away on the rocky slopes of Mt. Doom, let’s take a moment and a comment thread to focus on the fun, on-court aspect of Trail Blazers basketball that will be returning this fall. Today’s offseason discussion question asks which Blazers player will be the pleasant surprise of the upcoming 2026-27 NBA season?
By that question, I mean
who will take a bigger leap than expected or have a more outsized impact on winning compared to preseason expectations?
You can take those parameters in various directions; make it your oyster. Perhaps, you think Ja Morant and/or Damian Lillard will return to their All-Star brilliance in a way that shocks people and lifts the Blazers high. Maybe a player like Scoot Henderson, Shaedon Sharpe or Donovan Clingan is due for a leap that shifts ideas about their role and potential. Or maybe a deeper bench player or two-way guy will carve out a regular role and endear themselves to the fanbase (looking at you, Branden Carlson and Jayson Kent).
Looking back on last season, I’d say the nominees for pleasant surprise were Deni Avdija for taking the All-Star leap, Robert Williams III for being a big contributor all season after years of injury woes, and the two-way brigade of Caleb Love and Sidy Cissoko for stepping up while the roster was dealing with so many injuries.
But who’s it going to be next season? Who will make a splash? Let us know in the comments below!
