The Portland Trail Blazers are in the final stretch before Wednesday’s season opener against the Phoenix Suns, and Deni Avdija has emerged as one of the key voices framing what this team wants to be.
Avdija met with the media recently and made it clear the preseason was about more than just getting through the games. It was a chance to start building something. As he put it, the team used the preseason to build chemistry and feel each other out, and he said the group is going into the season with good spirit.
That matters for a Blazers team that looks built to shuffle pieces around constantly. Portland has plenty of players who can handle the ball, with Ja Morant, Damian Lillard, Scoot Henderson and Jrue Holiday all bringing point guard experience, even if they’re asked to fill different roles throughout the year. The frontcourt has the same kind of flexibility, which gives the coaching staff room to mix and match lineups.
Avdija is central to that setup. He led the team in scoring last season and has looked the part again in the preseason, reinforcing why he’s still the top player on the roster. He already made a major jump from his first season in Portland to last year, and now he’s aiming for another step forward in his third year with the team.
The biggest area for that leap is on defense. Avdija said taking a step on defense is a goal for him, and that’s not a small thing for this roster.
Portland is short on size in the backcourt, with those four point guards all standing 6-4 or shorter, so the burden on the front line is going to be real. At 6-8, Avdija has the kind of size and versatility that can help cover some of those gaps by guarding multiple positions.
Rebounding is another point of emphasis for the same reason. With the Blazers dealing with a size disadvantage in the backcourt, everyone on the floor will need to be locked in on the glass. It’s going to take a collective effort.
That selfless approach seems to be part of the identity already. The group is focused on the common goal rather than individual numbers, and that kind of buy-in is usually the best sign for a team trying to piece together wins over an 82-game season.
The Blazers head into the year with optimism running high, and with good reason. The hope in Portland is simple: turn that spirit, versatility and chemistry into more wins and move beyond last season’s 42-40 record.
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Blazers May Have Already Shown How Theyll Unlock Ja Morant
A preseason look may have already offered a clue about how Portland plans to simplify things for Ja Morant, at least in the opening minutes. Sean Highkin of The Rose Garden Report pointed to a lineup that features Morant alongside Damian Lillard, Toumani Camara, Deni Avdija and Donovan Clingan, a group that would give the Blazers a very different kind of structure from the usual early-season guesswork.
The appeal is easy to see from Portlands side. Morant would have help around him defensively, more size behind him, and enough versatility on the wings to keep the floor organized while he attacks. It is still just a social media read based on preseason, not an official announcement, but it suggests the Blazers may already have a workable idea for how to get the most out of their newest headline guard. [Read more 🡒]
Blazers Enter Season With Two Franchise Questions Still Hanging
The Trail Blazers head into their season opener against the Phoenix Suns with plenty of attention still fixed on what their roster looks like at the top. After acquiring Ja Morant, Portland suddenly has a crowded and complicated point guard picture, with Damian Lillard, Scoot Henderson and Jrue Holiday all part of the equation as the team tries to sort out roles and fit before the games start to matter.
Off the floor, the organization is also working through a longer-term issue that matters just as much to the franchises future in Portland. The team is negotiating a new arena deal with the city for the Moda Center, and with the current lease set to expire in 2030, the building remains a central piece of the Blazers next chapter even as the focus shifts to opening night. [Read more 🡒]