4 Takeaways From The Blazers 2026-27 Media Day

The Portland Trail Blazers media day has come and gone. President of business operations Dewayne Hankins, general manager Joe Cronin, new head coach Micah Nori and nine total players stepped to the podium and fielded questions.

Some answers were expected. Some were odd. Others provoked laughter. A handful were insightful. Nonetheless, the Blazers provided enough nibbles of information to chew on. Here are four of the biggest takeaways.

Contradictory Hankins

General view of the Moda Center exterior. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Earlier this summer, Hankins received backlash after some comments he made when meeting with the Portland City Council. The long-term Blazers executive called Portland a “stagnant business climate” and “a tough city to invest in.”

These two factors, paired with high-income taxes and a “divisive” political climate, “makes it harder to sell tickets,” according to Hankins.

Funny. Hilarious, actually, considering Hankins boasted about the Blazers 94 percent season ticket renewal rate and the ticket revenue growing 22 percent in his opening statement.

“I think two things can be true,” Hankins said. “Our fans show up and do an incredible job of supporting this team. And when you have an audience like I was able to have with the city council, you want to take advantage of that moment and that opportunity.”

Hankins added: “In front of you guys (the media), we can have an incredible off-season and hit the revenue goals that we want to hit. But when I have an audience with city council who's made it challenging to do business in Portland, I want to take advantage of that opportunity to tell them there's an opportunity for us to do better.”

That is some interesting framing. It’s not everyday a basketball executive taps into the whole “this is my truth” sentiment often seen online. Granted, Hankins acknowledged the negative feedback by fans his initial statement to the city council generated, though in the same breath he shared that he had received praise from fellow business leaders for those comments.

Someone has to stick up for the CEOs, I suppose. Regarding the current negotiations between the city and organization, Hankins remained tight-lipped. He said the two sides are meeting regularly throughout the week and that mayor Keith Wilson is pushing for daily meetings, which Hankins said he is willing to accommodate.

Hopefully, he avoids contradicting himself behind closed doors.

“What I will say is this: We're committed to Portland. We're committed to a deal that works for our ownership. We're committed to a deal that works for our public partners,” Hankins said. “We're doing everything we can to ensure that the Trail Blazers stay right here.”

Everybody loves Micah

Portland Trail Blazers head coach Micah Nori during media day. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Nori oozes charisma. He has enough personality and charm for the whole team. His cadence pulls you in, and his candidness keeps you there.

It’s easy to see why so many people like the guy.

“Just being around him you can just feel he’s a players’ coach,” Damian Lillard said. "But then you see the side of him that's a little more stern. You see the balance of him, and that's what I like because I like a tight ship."

“He has a brilliant basketball mind,” Deni Avdija added. “He brings good vibes. I feel like, from what I get to know (from) him, he's a competitor, smart guy, and he's well respected around the league."

There was plenty of gushing. Morant said Nori was a “very cool, chill guy.” Shaedon Sharpe labeled him “very down to Earth.” Jrue Holiday called him a “great dude to be around.”

Nori’s philosophy shapes his demeanor, and it is likely why the players have quickly gravitated toward him. Nori said when he first started coaching he believed the biggest aspect to be the X’s and O’s. But it’s not, at least for him.

“It really, truly, just comes down to building relationships with people,” Nori said. “Getting the most out of them individually, and then collectively as a group, seeing what we can do on a nightly basis to see how many basketball games we can win.”

Those relationships could prove monumental. Nori’s plans for the offense and defense require significant commitment, the type that genuinely puts the team above an individual. Possessing multiple capable ball handlers, Nori wants to avoid a slow pace that’s conducive to isolation basketball. Those able can surely pick their spots, but the idea is to run in space and react, operating in what Nori called “an organized freedom.”

Defensively, Nori wants to carry over the tenacity Portland showed after the All-Star break last year. The Blazers do not plan to go insane and pick up defenders 94 feet, but Nori does want to apply heavy pressure “and establish a high line of scrimmage.”

Physicality is expected, as well as communication, obviously. Nori acknowledges Portland’s lack of size on the perimeter, and that his staff needs to find a way to combat it and protect the likes of Lillard and Morant. Robert Willams III and Donovan Clingan help with that — getting more out of Avdija helps even more, with Nori playfully stating he will coax Avdija to defend like he once did in the Eastern Conference as a member of the Washington Wizards.

Forget basketball — as humans we are more pliable when we like those trying to bend us. Nobody likes being uncomfortable for a person they dislike. Nori is seemingly off to a great start.

A willing Dame

Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard during media day. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Egos are the death of many aging NBA superstars, particularly fatal among undersized guards. That fate does not await Lillard. Though not exactly surprising, Lillard displayed an awareness and sensibility that essentially snuffed out any concerns pertaining to his ability to co-exist with his ball-dominant teammates.

“For me, if I get the ball and I’m advancing the ball ahead to Ja Morant, I feel pretty good about it, and if I’m advancing the ball to Deni Avdija, I feel good about it,” Lillard said. “If we are just doing the right thing, playing the right way … I think the balance will work itself out just based off what we are capable of.”

The sentiment could always fade, but Lillard did not appear disingenuous throughout his podium time. He seemed earnest about the joy he feels simply by returning to the court. When asked what is required to transpire for him to deem this year successful, he said that, for him personally, “it’s a success today,” due to the effort required to regain his health.

And though this was more in response to maintaining his health during the regular season, Lillard said that he does not believe it is necessary for him to play more than 35 minutes per game.

He really spent a lot of his mic time emphasizing his road to recovery, sharing a newfound perspective he has entering this season. He did not sound or come off as someone who is focused solely on his touches. He probably will not entirely defer to his teammates — this is a top-75 NBA player of all-time — but if there are rumblings or whispers of unhappiness regarding usage, it seems highly unlikely to come from Lillard.

“I'm going to do the right thing and encourage the right things, and I'm going to lead from the front,” Lillard said. “I know that what I bring is valuable, and that's something that I truly believe in, and (there is) not a move or anything that's going to happen that's going to make me believe that less.”

A (hopefully) rejuvenated Ja

Portland Trail Blazers guard Ja Morant during media day. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

There was no shortage of legitimate concerns or eye-rolling hot takes when the Blazers traded for Morant in June, from his fit with the team to his previous off-court behavior. That, of course, does not exist within the team. Time Lord put it best.

“I f*** with Ja, man,” Williams said.

Cronin provided a more family-friendly response on Morant, addressing the elephant in the room.

“I would say the number one thing is, Ja as a person doesn’t concern us. I’ve studied Ja Morant for a long, long time and I’m very, very confident he’s a good guy,” Cronin said. “The intel work and the study about him, as a teammate and member of the community, I don't have any concerns there. But I also have a lot of faith in our environment and our ability to support him.”

His teammates and the organization said all the right things, but Morant ultimately will dictate whether he returns to the All-NBA status he once held. Sure, availability comes down to some luck, and even then his accumulated injuries may mean he never shines as bright as before. He can, however, still be productive and engaged if healthy.

He just needs to stay out of his own way. To his credit, he does seem ready for change, to rid himself of the baggage that has followed him the last few years.

“When you have that chance to have (a fresh start), it's very important that you take it serious and take advantage of it,” Morant said. “Obviously, (with) how past years went for me, I felt like it was needed for me. I can't speak for everybody else, but for me, yes. I feel a lot better and just ready to hoop.”

At the risk of over-empathizing with someone who is dealing with the consequences of his actions, one cannot help wondering when exactly he gets to stop answering for those actions. Everyone at one point has engaged in distasteful antics; we simply hold the luxury of not being multi-millionaire basketball players constantly under a microscope.

Thankfully for Morant, the Blazers are offering a clean slate. Avdija and Lillard seem ready to share touches. Holiday and Toumani Camara were very complimentary at the podium. Even former No. 3 overall NBA Draft pick Scoot Henderson, who arguably should not be too eager at Morant’s presence, appeared sincere in his intention to learn from Morant and exuded excitement about sharing the floor with him.

Portland can be Morant’s personal Lazarus Pit, rejuvenating the 27-year-old point guard, restoring some of the awe he was once viewed with around the league.

“I’ve been telling everybody,” Morant said, “Portland has been nothing but good to me.”

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