Damian Lillard is back, but `Dame Time’ will have to wait for the Trail Blazers.
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Trail Blazers
Last season: 36-46.
COACH: Chauncey Billups (5th season, 117-211).
SEASON OPENER: Oct. 25 vs. Orlando.
DEPARTURES: G Anfernee Simons, F Deandre Ayton, F Jabari Walker, F Dalano Banton
ADDITIONS: G Damian Lillard, G Jrue Holiday, C Yang Hansen, G Caleb Love, G Javonte Cooke, G Blake Wesley
BetMGM championship odds: +30000
What to expect
The Trail Blazers still have a young core, including Scoot Henderson, Shaedon Sharpe, Deni Avdija and Toumani Camara, that pushed for a possible play-in spot last season rather than tank for draft position. They fell short, but now Portland looks to take that next step. The team traded away Anfernee Simons and Deandre Ayton, and brought in steady veteran Jrue Holiday and a familiar face, nine-time All-Star Damian Lillard, who spent the first 11 seasons of his career with the Blazers. Lillard is recovering from an Achilles injury and won’t play this season, so he’ll serve as more of a player-coach. Draft pick Yang Hansen, a 7-foot-1 center from China, has turned heads with both his height and passing ability.
Strengths and weaknesses
The good: While the Trail Blazers haven’t been to the playoffs in four seasons, they scored some serious good will with their fan base by bringing back Lillard, who is beloved in Portland. While he’s unable to play, he’ll no doubt be a positive influence, especially for Henderson. The addition of Holiday also provides veteran leadership on the court. Another positive is that the team’s future is settled with the agreement to sell the team to a group led by Carolina Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon.
The not-so-good: While Lillard is back in Portland, he won’t be on the court, so the Blazers can’t count on “Dame Time” for wins. And while the team has youthful energy, last season they were wildly inconsistent. Without Anfernee Simons, perimeter shooting may be a concern, especially early in the season. Henderson will miss the first few games with a left hamstring injury. Portland needs to stay healthy at forward, where they don’t has as much depth as they do at guard.
Players to watch
Scoot Henderson was hailed by some as the next Lillard when the Trail Blazers selected him with the third overall pick in the 2023 Draft from the G League Ignite. Now that Anfernee Simons has been traded to the Celtics, the Blazers will look to Henderson — once he’s healthy — to take the next step in his development and become one of the team’s primary playmakers.
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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA