NBA Pundit Projects Blazers' Starting Five to Open Season

Alex Kirschenbaum | Sep 12, 2024

Mar 11, 2024; Portland, Oregon, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard Anfernee Simons (1) warms up before a game against the Boston Celtics at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images / Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

The Portland Trail Blazers appear on the cusp of making a big rotational pivot in their backcourt heading into what looks to be a fourth consecutive tanking season in 2024-25.

Guard Anfernee Simons, hot off a great scoring season in 2023-24 but still a potential trade piece for the future, seems likely to replace former No. 3 lottery pick Scoot Henderson in Portland's starting lineup. Simons had started at shooting guard throughout last year. Swingman Shaedon Sharpe, the No. 7 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, is expected to get the nod as Simons' replacement at the two-guard spot.

On a new episode of his indispensable hoops podcast "The Lowe Post" while chatting with coworker Kevin Pelton, ESPN's Zach Lowe broke down what he projected to be the Trail Blazers' first five heading into the 2024-25 NBA season.

"If you had asked me to predict the Blazers' starting five right now I don't think Scoot is in it this year, and I think that's totally fine. I would go Simons, Sharpe, Deni Avdija — who they traded a lot for including Bub Carrington — Jerami Grant until he's traded at some point, and Deandre Ayton."

To acquire Avdija, the Trail Blazers traded Malcolm Brogdon, the draft rights to Carrington (the No. 14 pick out of Pittsburgh), a 2029 first round draft pick, and a pair of second round picks in 2028 and 2030).

Read More: Trail Blazers News: Deni Avdija Shocked by Trade to Portland

The 6-foot-9 small forward was selected with the No. 9 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, and took a big-enough leap to finish sixth in Most Improved Player voting last season. Across 75 games, Avdija averaged a career-most 14.7 points on .506/.374/.740 shooting splits, 7.2 rebounds, and 3.8 assists, plus 0.8 steals and 0.5 blocks a night for the 15-67 Wizards. Still just 23, Avdija basically lines up with the growth timelines of young core pieces Sharpe (who's 21), Henderson and rookie center Donovan Clingan (both 20). He's in the first year of a four-season, $55 million deal he inked with Washington.

Grant, though considered a prime trade candidate for the Trail Blazers at some point, is presently the team's best player, a switchable 3-and-D wing who can guard three positions and spread the floor for playmakers.

Ayton, who'll make an exorbitant $34 million in 2024-25, is going to be hard to trade given his current deal and on-court play. But he's a solid big and could serve as a mentor to Clingan.

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