Blazers Should Invest in Future by Making Massive Changes to Lineup Plans

Matt Levine | Aug 22, 2024

As the Portland Trail Blazers get ready to start a new season, the team has to be thinking about how the future will look. After finishing last year with a record of 21-61, Portland is pretty far from where they need to be to contend for a title.

However, the Trail Blazers do have a nice, young nucleus of talent on the roster, giving them some hope for the future. The trade of former star point guard Damian Lillard last season gave the Trail Blazers an easy pathway to enter into a much-needed rebuild.

Portland has been sitting in the middle of the pack within the NBA, a place no team wants to be. But now they can focus on improving the team moving forward and it all starts with how they approach this coming season.

One aspect that the coaching staff will have to determine is which players get the most playing time. Portland is loaded in both the frontcourt and backcourt but if they are serious about building for the future, the answer will be easy.

In the frontcourt, Portland has an excess of centers including Deandre Ayton, Robert Williams III, and rookie Donovan Clingan. Clingan likely represents the core of Portland moving forward so giving him more reps and time on the court should be paramount.

Placing a player like Ayton on the bench or even trying to trade him may not be easy but it's a necessary decision for the team. Ayton only has two years remaining on his current contract and it's unlikely that he will be given an extension by the Trail Blazers.

Clingan needs all the time he can get as he makes the transition from college to the NBA. On the flip side in the backcourt, Portland has multiple guards to work with.

Guys like Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe are the likely future of this team, potentially leaving Anfernee Simons out in the cold. There have already been trade rumors involving Simons this offseason, leading to the thought that Portland is prioritizing others in the rotation.

If Simons is still on the roster when the year begins, he will likely become a sixth man for this squad. While he can score the ball easily, he hasn't shown much else in his young career.

If Portland is serious about building a winning team, they need to invest in the future now. It won't be easy and could see some more losing seasons but in the end, it could benefit the organization in the long run.

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