The Portland Trail Blazers’ schedule should land in the next couple of weeks, and there are a few matchups that already stand out before the full slate is even out.
One of the most intriguing games on the calendar figures to be Portland’s first trip to the FedEx Forum to face the Memphis Grizzlies. That one could easily wind up on national television, and for good reason: it would be Morant’s first return to Memphis since being traded in June for Jerami Grant and Kris Murray.
Morant’s run with the Grizzlies stretched across seven seasons, and he helped push them to the playoffs three different times. His final year in Memphis didn’t go the way he wanted, though, with the team battling health issues and Morant appearing in only 20 games.
That matchup should carry plenty of emotion for Morant, who still has strong ties to the organization and the people around it. For Portland, though, it’s just another chance to get a win in a loaded Western Conference.
Another game worth circling is the Blazers’ meeting with the San Antonio Spurs. Portland dropped that first-round series in five games, and the Spurs went on to beat the defending NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder in a seven-game Western Conference Finals before falling in five games to Jalen Brunson and the New York Knicks in the NBA Finals.
Donovan Clingan will be the one asked to handle Wembanyama, who put up 21.0 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 4.0 blocks per game in the Finals.
San Antonio is coming back with plenty to prove after that Finals loss, but the Blazers should have their own edge after getting bounced by the Spurs. It sets up a matchup with a little extra bite, especially with Portland looking to answer back against a team that beat them in five.
There’s also the wrinkle of Tiago Splitter, who was a major part of Portland’s success last season before leaving for the Chicago Bulls after the team moved on from Billy Donovan. The Blazers had hoped Splitter might stay and become their head coach, but he chose the Bulls instead after Chauncey Billups was arrested by the FBI just one game into the regular season.
That makes Chicago another potential trouble spot on the schedule. Splitter knows Portland well, and if he has the Bulls ready to go, the Blazers could be walking into a trap game.
In Other News...
Blazers Just Changed Everything Around Ja Morant And Deni Avdija
Portlands first major move under new owner Tom Dundon came with real star power, as the Trail Blazers landed Ja Morant from Memphis in a deal that reshaped the roster in one swing. The trade sends Jerami Grant and Kris Murray to the Grizzlies and comes without any draft picks changing hands, a structure that tells you Portland was willing to bet on upside rather than sit on caution.
For a team trying to chart a clearer direction, Morant brings the kind of ceiling few available guards can match, even with his recent value dip making the gamble easier to debate. The Blazers now have to sort through what this means for the rest of the backcourt and for their longer-term roster picture, because a move this big rarely stops with the player it directly brings in. [Read more 🡒]
Jrue Holiday Just Became The Key To Portlands Toughest Decision
The Trail Blazers backcourt picture has gotten crowded in a hurry, and Jrue Holiday sits right at the center of it. With Ja Morant, Scoot Henderson and other guards in the mix, new coach Micah Nori is sorting through a roster that suddenly has more playmaking options than obvious answers, all while trying to keep the rebuild on track and figure out which combinations best serve the teams long-term direction.
For Portland, the choice is about more than just who handles the ball first. The Blazers have to balance defense, creation and contract realities while deciding how the rotation should look, and Holidays presence gives the staff a dependable veteran standard in a room full of uncertainty. However Nori sorts it out, the next move in this logjam will say plenty about how aggressively Portland wants to chase stability now versus flexibility later. [Read more 🡒]
Blazers Face A Delicate Yang Hansen Decision Behind Donovan Clingan
The Trail Blazers frontcourt picture already has a clear headliner in Donovan Clingan, but Yang Hansen remains one of the more intriguing long-term pieces on the roster. Portlands mix of size and depth gives the coaching staff some flexibility, and it also lets the team be patient with a rookie season that has already come with its share of challenges for Hansen. Rather than forcing the issue, the Blazers are treating his development as a broader project, with an eye on what he can become down the road.
Tiago Splitter has made it clear the organization is trying to strike the right balance with Hansen, and that caution matters with a young player still finding his footing. Portland does not need to rush him with Clingan firmly in the starting role, and the extra bodies in the frontcourt give the Blazers options as they sort out minutes and responsibilities. The real question now is how aggressively they choose to accelerate Hansens progress, and what that path looks like if they decide he needs more runway. [Read more 🡒]