The Portland Trail Blazers’ preseason backcourt has looked crowded in all the right ways, and the reason keeps circling back to one player: Jrue Holiday. Portland’s 3-0 start has been fueled by a group willing to share minutes and responsibilities, but Holiday’s ability to move around the lineup is what makes the whole thing click.
That matters because the Blazers entered the offseason already light on the wing. Jerami Grant, Kris Murray, and Matisse Thybulle all departed from the forward group, and Portland didn’t bring in obvious one-for-one answers. At Media Day, GM Joe Cronin pointed to the team’s remaining wing options while also making it clear that Holiday would be part of the solution.
“Bodies-wise, we're probably a little thin there. We're going to play Jrue Holiday some there, which will help our depth there and versatility and just overall skill set competence,” Cronin said.“
Positionally, we have a lot of guards and a lot of bigs and not as many forwards and wings, but we really believe in the forwards and wings that we have, so, you know, like any team and in any season, health matters. If we have some injuries, particularly at the small forward and power forward positions, we could get into some depth issues.
So we've got to do our best to stay fresh and healthy.”
The health part has already become a problem. Portland has another offseason injury on its hands for the second year in a row.
Last year it was Scoot Henderson dealing with a lingering hamstring issue. This time it’s Shaedon Sharpe, whose knee injury changes the math even more.
Sharpe underwent surgery for a lateral meniscus tear in his right knee and will be reevaluated in six months. That puts his return around the All-Star break or early March, leaving Portland without one of its wings for a significant stretch.
So now the burden falls even harder on the players still standing. Deni Avdija and Toumani Camara headline the group, and Camara’s availability is especially valuable. Beyond those two, the wing options narrow fast to Sidy Cissoko and Vit Krejci, useful pieces but not exactly the sort of players you want leaning on for heavy playoff-level minutes.
Holiday changes that picture. His ability to slide to the wing opens the door for Portland to fit its guards into the rotation without everything getting jammed up. With Sharpe’s usual 30 minutes now available, there’s room to shuffle the lineup in a way that keeps the roster functional instead of awkward.
That kind of buy-in has already shown up in the backcourt, where team-first attitudes have helped make an unbalanced roster look a lot sturdier than expected. The Blazers are still sorting through how it all fits under first-year head coach Micah Nori, and there are clearly details left to solve. But early on, Holiday’s versatility stands out as the piece that gives Portland’s unusual roster a chance to work.
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What NBA GMs Really Expect From The Blazers This Season
NBA.coms annual general manager survey offered an early snapshot of how the league views Portland this season, and the picture is a mixed one. The Trail Blazers were pegged to finish seventh in the Western Conference, while also landing in the group of teams considered most unpredictable in terms of success, a label that fits a roster still trying to define its ceiling.
The survey also put a few Portland-connected names in the conversation across individual categories. Damian Lillard drew votes for leadership and clutch shooting, Toumani Camara was recognized for defensive versatility, and Jrue Holiday was mentioned as a possible future coach. Even as the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder were tabbed as the favorites to win the NBA Finals, Portlands showing suggests the league sees enough talent and intrigue here to keep watching closely. [Read more 🡒]
Scoot Henderson Is Forcing A Blazers Decision Faster Than Expected
Scoot Henderson has spent the early part of the preseason making the Trail Blazers think a little sooner than they probably wanted to. His work in games and practices has stood out for a sharper skill set and a clearer sense of confidence, enough to put him firmly in the mix as Portland sorts out its backcourt plans.
The timing matters because Henderson is headed toward restricted free agency after this season unless the Blazers lock in a rookie contract extension before October 19. With Damian Lillard and Jrue Holiday in the guard room, Portland is already balancing present-day rotation decisions with a longer-term call on Henderson, and his strong start is making that choice harder to push down the road. [Read more 🡒]
Blazers Give Caleb Houstan One More Chance To Reenter The Picture
The Trail Blazers have added Caleb Houstan on an Exhibit 10 contract, a move that keeps his G League rights in Portland and positions him for time with the Rip City Remix if he doesnt stick with the NBA club. It is another opportunity for the former second-round pick, who has already spent time with the Magic and Hawks and most recently landed on waivers after a stint with the Pelicans.
For Portland, the timing matters because Houstan will also get a chance to show something in the Blazers final preseason game. Exhibit 10 deals are often about creating a pathway as much as filling a camp spot, and Houstan now has a clear one back into the organizations plans, even if the next step is still up in the air. [Read more 🡒]