The Portland Trail Blazers are heading into training camp with a roster that has talent, but not a lot of the kind that neatly fits together. That’s where Dalano Banton could end up mattering more than people expect - because for all the attention on the bigger names, Portland’s backcourt still has obvious holes, especially when it comes to size and shooting.
The Blazers are loaded with guards, but most of them are small. Jrue Holiday brings length for a point guard, though not much for a shooting guard, and he’ll spend most of his time trying to cover for the defensive issues of Damian Lillard, Ja Morant and Scoot Henderson. Shaedon Sharpe’s injury last month only made that perimeter reach thinner, even if he wasn’t a strong defender to begin with.
Then there’s the shooting problem. Lillard is Lillard, and Holiday can knock down shots, but after that the Blazers don’t have much to lean on in the backcourt.
That’s a concern for a team that loves to fire away, even if the results haven’t been pretty. Portland finished third in the NBA in 3-point attempts per game last season at 42.2, but ranked 28th in 3-point percentage at 34.3.
If that shot diet stays the same, Morant and Henderson aren’t likely to solve it on their own.
Krejci’s first run with Portland was rough. In 19 regular season games after arriving from Atlanta in the deal that sent back Duop Reath and two second round draft picks, he shot just 30.3 percent from deep. A left calf contusion then cost him 13 straight games late in the year, and he never found his way back into the rotation during the postseason.
But the version Portland saw from him in Atlanta is the one that makes this move interesting. Before the trade, Krejci shot 42.3 percent from three in 22.3 minutes per game, and that kind of efficiency is exactly what the Blazers were chasing. At 6-foot-8, he also brings size to a group that badly needs it on the perimeter.
His shot profile fits Portland’s needs, too. Lillard and Holiday are more dangerous working off the dribble, while Krejci should be able to settle in as a corner shooter feeding off drives from Morant, Henderson and Deni Avdija. The Blazers hit only 33.8 percent of their corner threes last season, while Krejci made 39.7 percent of his corner threes with Atlanta and shot 44.3 percent on catch-and-shoot threes overall.
He also did damage above the break, where Portland struggled badly. Krejci shot 43.1 percent from that area with Atlanta, while the Blazers managed only 34.4 percent.
If Portland’s defense takes a step back this season, the offense will have to make up the difference. Krejci could be a real part of that equation, especially if he can look more like the player who finished fifth in the league in 3-point percentage at 43.7 during his 2024-25 campaign.
In Other News...
Jrue Holiday Enters Blazers Camp With More At Stake Than Expected
With a new owner, a new coach and a reshaped roster heading into the 2026-27 season, the Trail Blazers are spending camp sorting out more than just chemistry. Jrue Holiday is entering the third year of his contract and suddenly finds himself in a spot where his next role in Portland is not as clear-cut as it once looked, even for a veteran whose value has always traveled well across different lineups and responsibilities.
The uncertainty comes from the same place the Blazers new optimism does, with the return of Damian Lillard and the addition of Ja Morant crowding the backcourt picture and forcing a difficult conversation at point guard. Micah Nori has made it clear the final lineup will come down to performance and fit once camp starts, and Holidays willingness to adapt gives Portland some flexibility, but it also leaves the team with a real decision to make about how all of its pieces will actually work together. [Read more 🡒]
Blazers Fans Are Saying Goodbye To One Of Their Most Respected Pros
Nicolas Batums retirement announcement closes the book on an 18-year NBA run that took him from a 2008 draft-night detour into one of the leagues more respected veteran careers. For Trail Blazers fans, he will always be tied to the years he spent in Portland, where he became a steady and versatile presence before moving on to Charlotte, the Clippers and the 76ers.
Batum also carved out a significant international legacy with France, helping the national team capture silver medals in both 2020 and 2024. His decision to step away comes after a long final stretch in the league, and for Portland it serves as another reminder of how much value he brought to the franchise beyond the usual box-score numbers. [Read more 🡒]
Nicolas Batums Retirement Hits Hornets Fans On A Much Deeper Level
Nicolas Batums retirement announcement closed the book on an 18-year NBA career that took him through four franchises and made him one of the more respected role players of his generation. The longtime wing shared the news in a personal video, offering reflections on basketball, family and the journey that carried him from France to the league and back again as his career reached its final chapter.
What gives the moment extra weight is the way Batum chose to frame it, tying the announcement to a deeply personal family remembrance rather than a standard league farewell. In the video, he also pointed to an international peak near the end of his career, underscoring how much his legacy was shaped not only by NBA stops, but by the pride he took in representing France on the biggest stage. [Read more 🡒]