The Portland Trail Blazers have made their roster math pretty obvious: they like their ball-handling depth, but it leaves them awfully thin on the wing. That reality puts a lot of pressure on the players still standing at the forward spots, and Sidy Cissoko looks like one of the biggest beneficiaries.
Portland’s front office doubled down on that approach at Media Day, framing the extra guards as a plus. The issue is what got sacrificed to get there.
Jerami Grant and Kris Murray were dealt to the Memphis Grizzlies in the Ja Morant trade, and Matisse Thybulle left in free agency for the Los Angeles Lakers. Suddenly, the Blazers’ wing rotation is leaner than it should be.
General manager Joe Cronin’s decision not to add another wing was tied to his confidence in the group already on hand. That starts with players like Toumani Camara, whose availability has been a major plus, and Deni Avdija, whose all-around game gives Portland a lot of lineup flexibility. It also extends to the bench, where Vit Krejci and Cissoko may be asked to absorb more of the load.
Krejci is a logical bounce-back candidate after a rough finish to last season following his arrival from the Atlanta Hawks. If he regains his touch, Portland gets another floor-spacer and another option to cover minutes for Avdija and Camara.
But Cissoko is the name that stands out most.
Just a year ago, he was barely a footnote as a two-way signing. Since then, he has forced his way into the picture. He started 26 games, and Portland rewarded him by converting his two-way deal into a standard contract.
That wasn’t just a feel-good gesture. It was an investment in a 22-year-old wing who is still climbing.
Cissoko’s game has been trending in the right direction, especially as a developing 3-and-D option. His 29.8 percent mark from deep last season won’t jump off the page, but it does look better when stacked against the shooting struggles he had with the San Antonio Spurs early in his career.
The two-way wing remains one of the most valuable archetypes in the league, and Portland appears to believe it found one. The Blazers have already nudged Cissoko’s role upward, and the roster changes around him could push it even further in 2026-27.
That path does carry risk. Portland’s margin for error is not large, and there’s only so much room to absorb offensive growing pains on a team that expects to compete. Still, the bigger picture is hard to miss: the Blazers lost wing depth and didn’t rush to replace it, which says plenty about how much they trust Cissoko to take on more.
In Other News...
Blazers Camp Is Already Testing Micah Noris New System
The early days of camp have already given Micah Nori a clear look at how much work remains in Portland, as the Trail Blazers spent Day 2 dealing with sloppier possessions and missed chances on the glass. The pace has been fast, the defensive pressure has been active, and both Ja Morant and Donovan Clingan have acknowledged the growing pains that come with trying to absorb a new system while the roster is still figuring itself out.
Morants adjustment is one of the more interesting parts of the experiment, with the guard spending more time away from the ball and showing better touch on his three-point shot during practice. Nori is also still sorting through different lineup combinations, which makes the next few weeks of exhibition play feel less like a tuneup and more like a live audition as the Blazers try to define what this version of the team is supposed to look like. [Read more 🡒]
Blazers Preseason Could Reveal A Tense Backcourt Reality
The Trail Blazers are about to open a four-game preseason slate on Oct. 7, and it arrives with more curiosity than usual. Golden State, the London Lions and Sacramento are on the schedule, but the bigger draw is Portlands new look: Damian Lillard is back from injury, Ja Morant has arrived, and Micah Nori is getting his first chance to steer the group as head coach. For a team trying to find its footing quickly, these games should offer an early read on how the pieces fit.
Much of the attention will land on the backcourt, where the Blazers have a lot of talent and not a lot of time to sort out roles. Preseason is often where coaches test lineups and rotational ideas, and Portland has enough moving parts that even the early-minute distribution could matter. The frontcourt will be worth watching too, especially with Donovan Clingan and Yang Hansen in the mix, because how they are handled can say plenty about how seriously the Blazers are treating these October reps. [Read more 🡒]
Damian Lillard Gives Blazers Hope With One Big Question Still Looming
Damian Lillard is back in Portland, and even before he plays another meaningful minute, his return changes the temperature around the Trail Blazers. After missing last season with a torn Achilles tendon, Lillard sounded confident in his shooting and comfortable with the idea of fitting alongside a crowded backcourt that also includes Ja Morant, Scoot Henderson and Jrue Holiday. For a franchise trying to turn potential into something sturdier, having a player of Lillards stature back in the mix gives the roster a different kind of credibility.
Joe Cronin has also pointed to the environment around the guards as a real benefit for Morant, with Lillard and Holiday offering the kind of veteran presence that can help anchor a young group. The optimism is easy to see, but the next question is just as important: how the Blazers balance all that perimeter talent in a way that works night after night. Portland has options now, and the challenge is figuring out how those options fit together when the games start to matter. [Read more 🡒]