We’re almost at the point where the Portland Trail Blazers stop being a talking point and start being a team again.
Their preseason opens at home against Golden State on Oct. 7, then continues with a visit from the London Lions on Oct. 12.
After that comes the road trip to Sacramento on Oct. 13, and the exhibition slate closes in San Francisco against Golden State on Oct. 16.
That’s only four games, and nobody should pretend preseason will settle every question hanging over this group. But it should give a first real glimpse at one of the NBA’s most intriguing teams heading into 2026-27, with Damian Lillard back, Ja Morant in the mix, and Micah Nori now running the bench.
The biggest early clues are going to come in the backcourt.
Nori has already made it clear that nothing is locked in, and Lillard said Tuesday that, “as far as I know,” he, Morant and Deni Avdija will start. Even if the opening five changes, the combinations behind it will tell us plenty.
Jrue Holiday and Scoot Henderson both need more than just minutes; they need touches and trust. Who fits with the starters?
Who steadies the second unit? How often does Portland lean on Holiday’s dependability instead of Scoot’s upside?
Those first preseason lineups should say a lot about whether shooting, downhill pressure or defensive balance becomes the defining trait of this crowded guard group.
Then there’s the Lillard factor, which is its own reason to pay attention.
A Damian Lillard pick-and-roll in a Blazers jersey is enough to stop you in your tracks. But after he missed last season while recovering from a torn Achilles, the real value here is seeing him move through a possession, relocate, and knock down a catch-and-shoot three off a curl.
Portland doesn’t need to unveil the whole Dame-centered offense in October, and it definitely doesn’t need to push his minutes. What it does need is a few clean signs that his rhythm is coming back and that he’s starting to connect with Morant.
The idea is simple: let the flashes come, let the full arsenal wait.
Donovan Clingan is another name worth tracking, especially if the Blazers want more spacing from their frontcourt.
His jumper has already become a bigger part of his game than it was at UConn, and last season he shot 34.1 percent from three on 3.2 attempts per game. For a 22-year-old whose reputation is built on rebounding and rim protection, that matters.
If he can keep nudging that number upward - and maybe even take a few more attempts - it would give Portland something it badly needs. The Blazers finished 28th in three-point percentage last season at 34.3 percent.
Beyond the numbers, the real prize is what it does to the floor: if opposing centers have to respect Clingan beyond the arc, that opens more room for wing finishers to attack.
Yang Hansen brings a different kind of curiosity.
His Summer League flashes got people’s attention, and now preseason gives him a tougher test against NBA players. The biggest question isn’t just what he produces; it’s whether Portland even plays him in ways that matter.
Does he get run with guys expected to matter in the regular season? Does he show up in lineups that resemble something the Blazers might actually use in November or December, rather than only in garbage time?
After that comes the real evaluation: can he process coverages quickly, handle contact, and turn his passing into actual offensive value? A nice assist is one thing.
Screening, positioning, and defensive recovery would say a lot more.
And then there’s Deni Avdija, who may be the key to making all of this fit.
Avdija says his troublesome back is “99.9%” healthy, and at this point that’s good enough to move forward with the basketball questions. The bigger issue is how he meshes with Lillard and Morant without getting squeezed out of his own role.
Nori has talked about pace, ball security and offensive rebounding. Morant says he’s getting more catch-and-shoot chances in practice.
Lillard has been hyping his long-range shooting on social media. So where does Avdija fit in all that?
Can he still initiate possessions? Can the three of them create advantages without taking turns?
Has Avdija improved as a three-point shooter enough to become a more useful off-ball piece?
Those are the details to watch once the games begin. Who pushes after rebounds.
Who cuts when a teammate drives. Who hits the open shot.
Whether the ball keeps moving.
That’s how this preseason will start to tell the story of what Portland wants to be. And it will set up a fresh list of things to watch when the regular season opens at home against the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday, October 21.
In Other News...
Blazers Are Counting On Sidy Cissoko In A Risky Bigger Role
Portlands wing picture is suddenly a lot lighter than it was not long ago, and that has pushed some real responsibility onto the players still standing. Even with the roster churn, general manager Joe Cronin says he believes in the current group of wings, a vote of confidence that matters in a season where the Blazers have to patch together size, defense and shooting on the perimeter.
One of the clearest beneficiaries is Sidy Cissoko, who arrived as a two-way signing last year and turned that into a standard contract after starting 26 games. The expectation now is that he grows into a bigger 3-and-D role by the 2026-27 season, which is a lot to ask of a player still carving out his place, but also exactly the kind of internal development Portland needs if this thinner rotation is going to hold up. [Read more 🡒]
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 🡒]
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 🡒]