The Portland Trail Blazers have one of the NBA's most oddly constructed rosters. Damian Lillard, Scoot Henderson and trade acquisition Ja Morant are all starting-caliber point guards with questionable defensive ability, leaving first-year coach Micah Nori with a tough decision for his starting lineup.
Playing even two of those players together could allow opposing teams to hunt their backcourt on offense. Nori apparently isn't having it. Morant, a two-time All-Star, is expected to come off the Trail Blazers' bench, according to Andscape's Marc Spears.
Morant, 27, is in the penultimate season of a five-year, $197.2 million deal he signed with the Memphis Grizzlies. Availability has always been an issue for Morant, who's played less than 60 games
each of the last three seasons.
Perhaps a move to the bench can rejuvenate Morant as he begins a new chapter in his career out west.
Trail Blazers projected starting lineup
- Point guard: Damian Lillard
- Shooting guard: Jrue Holiday
- Small forward: Toumani Camara
- Power forward: Deni Avdija
- Center: Donovan Clingan
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Is Ja Morant really coming off the Trail Blazers' bench?
