Rip City's Wild Ride: Dame’s Back, Ja’s In, and the Owner Is Playing with Fire
Coming off a 42-win season and their first playoff berth in five years, the Portland Trail Blazers should be buzzing. Instead, the headlines out of Rip City this summer have been an absolute dumpster fire — and we're not talking about the on-court product.
New owner Tom Dundon has been on a warpath, dropping massive layoffs, cutting ties with beloved broadcasters, and telling the city of Portland to foot the bill for the Moda Center's $600 million facelift — or else. Yeah, the or else part is hanging in the air like a foggy Oregon morning. Move the franchise? It's not off the table, and the locals are terrified.
The hoops, though? They got spicy
While the owner plays hardball, the basketball side has quietly loaded up. Damian Lillard is back after missing all of last season with a torn Achilles. Ja Morant — yes, THAT Ja Morant — is now in Portland after a blockbuster trade that sent Jerami Grant and Kris Murray to Memphis. A backcourt of Dame and Ja? In 2026? That's either a time machine or a chemistry experiment gone horribly wrong. Probably both.
They join a deep rotation that already includes Deni Avdija, Donovan Clingan, Jrue Holiday, Toumani Camara, and Shaedon Sharpe. Robert Williams III was re-signed on a solid extension, while Jeremy Sochan comes aboard as a versatile wing. The pieces are there. The question is: how do they fit?
The big question: too many chefs, not enough shots
First-year head coach Micah Nori has a roster stacked with guards who need the ball. Lillard, Morant, Avdija, and Holiday have All-Star pedigree. Scoot Henderson and Sharpe were lottery picks. There are literally not enough touches to go around. Something's gotta give — and it's probably gonna be somebody's ego.
Lillard is 36 and coming off the worst injury of his career. Morant played just 20 games last season due to health issues. The smart play is to ease both back, but eventually, someone's going to have to sacrifice. That's the uncomfortable truth in Portland.
X factor: Scoot Henderson
Henderson is heading into restricted free agency with a mystery label still stamped on his forehead. The former No. 3 pick moved off the ball last season and actually thrived as a shooter — he drilled 13 threes in the playoffs — but with Dame and Ja back, where does he fit? If Scoot pops, Portland could be scary. If he fades, the rotation gets even messier.
BPI says: solid but not spectacular
ESPN's Basketball Power Index ranks the Blazers 13th, projecting seven players in their top rotation to be at least slightly positive — fourth most in the league. The catch? None of them project to be significantly positive. Portland is built to absorb injuries and hang around .500-plus, but deep playoff runs require Lillard and Morant to rediscover their old superstar forms.
The betting play
Our guy Eric Moody is hammering the OVER 43.5 wins (-120). The logic? Portland won 42 games last year, then swapped Jerami Grant for Ja Morant and got Damian Lillard back. The defense might be swiss cheese, but Jrue Holiday helps patch some holes. With more shot creation and star power, the Blazers should clear that number easily.
Of course, that assumes the owner doesn't blow it all up first. In Portland, the biggest threat to a 50-win season isn't the Western Conference — it's the guy holding the checkbook.