The Portland Trail Blazers may have crowded their backcourt this offseason, but Micah Nori made one thing clear at Media Day on Monday: Deni Avdija is not getting pushed out of the offense.
That was the biggest question hanging over Portland after it added more ball-handlers and playmakers. Avdija had just finished his first All-Star season, and his rise came with a bigger role as a point-forward, the guy who could bring the ball up and set the tone for the Blazers’ offense. Nori said the team has no interest in walking that back.
“I think it's very similar,” Nori said. “What unlocked for Deni was through injuries; you saw what he's able to do with the basketball in his hands.
Great job to Tiago, his staff, those guys for unleashing that in him. So we'd be crazy not to carry that over.”
That role emerged because Portland’s backcourt was battered by injuries, and Avdija became the silver lining. Now the challenge is different. The 2026-27 season is shaping up as a hybrid one, and Nori has to blend Avdija’s growth as an initiator with a roster that may have more guards than it needs.
Still, the coach pointed to ways the pieces can fit together. With more ball-handlers and decision-makers on the floor, Nori expects Portland to lean harder into transition. That plays directly into Avdija’s game, especially with his size and power in the open court.
He also mentioned the added floor spacing with Damian Lillard, which should help clear the lane for Avdija’s downhill attacks. That doesn’t mean Avdija will be the offensive hub on every possession the way he was last season, but Nori left no doubt about his place in the attack.
“He will have the ball plenty because we'd be crazy not to give it to him,” Nori said.
The extra guards may trim Avdija’s counting stats, but they should also make his life easier. Instead of forcing difficult looks, he should get cleaner chances and, in theory, be more efficient.
Even with Avdija’s breakout, the playoffs showed Portland still doesn’t have enough ceiling with him carrying the whole load. Nori’s job now is to strike the right balance between the new guard-heavy mix and a young core that already made the postseason without that kind of depth.
It’s going to take time, but the direction is clear enough: Avdija remains a centerpiece, and Nori plans to keep him there.
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