With LeBron James out of the picture and officially headed to the Philadelphia 76ers, the Portland Trail Blazers suddenly have a cleaner path to measure themselves against the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers had finished ahead of Portland in the West last season, but the Blazers also made enough progress to put themselves in the conversation. Now the comparison gets a lot more interesting.
At the top of the board, Los Angeles still owns the biggest name. Luka Doncic is being handed the keys to the franchise, and the Lakers are ready to move forward with him leading the way.
Portland’s side is built around Damian Lillard, but the gap is hard to ignore here. Lillard is one of the all-time greats at the position, yet Doncic has the clear edge, especially with Dame coming off a torn Achilles and not having played since spring 2025.
The guard battle behind that is closer, but the Lakers still come out ahead. Austin Reaves has turned himself into one of the league’s better young guards, and after going undrafted, he’s shown he has the tools to keep climbing.
He averaged 23.3 points per game this past season with Los Angeles. Portland’s Ja Morant brings former All-Star pedigree from his Memphis Grizzlies days and could be due for a renaissance in his first season with the Blazers, but the Lakers still hold the advantage.
On the wing, Portland has the cleaner answer. Los Angeles added Quentin Grimes, who spent this past season with the Sixers, in what amounts to an unofficial swap with LeBron going the other way.
But the Blazers counter with Toumani Camara, who just posted the best season of his career. He averaged 13.4 points per game while shooting 37 percent from three, and his defense is already among the best in the league.
He’ll be the one tasked with checking Doncic in Lakers matchups, which makes Portland’s edge on the perimeter even more valuable.
The Lakers did add another piece in Sandro Mamukelashvili, who left the Toronto Raptors in free agency and signed a four-year deal worth $53 million. He’s now on his third team in as many years and gives Los Angeles some help after losing Rui Hachimura in free agency to the Los Angeles Clippers.
Still, Portland’s forward group has the more proven difference-maker in Deni Avdija. The All-Star forward broke out for the Blazers last season, and while he may get overshadowed by Morant and Lillard, he remains a major part of what Portland wants to do on offense.
That leaves the center spot as the final swing factor, and it’s the closest part of the matchup. The Lakers brought in Walker Kessler from the Utah Jazz after he spent his first four seasons there.
He missed most of last season with a torn labrum, playing in only five games, but he’s healthy again and looking to upgrade the middle for Los Angeles. Portland answers with Donovan Clingan, who looks like he’s settling into the league even faster.
Clingan averaged a double-double in Year 2, a season earlier than Kessler did in Year 3.
The numbers between the two are tight. Kessler has averaged 9.6 points and 9.6 rebounds per game against the Blazers, while Clingan has put up 11.7 points and 11.9 rebounds against the Jazz. It’s a close call, but Clingan’s higher ceiling gives Portland the narrow edge in the middle.
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Deni Avdija Suddenly Holds One Of Portlands Biggest Stakes
Deni Avdija spent much of last season carrying a heavy offensive load and seeing defenses load up on him, the kind of attention that can flatten a young forwards efficiency even as it confirms his importance. For Portland, though, the bigger picture has changed quickly, and Avdija now sits at the center of a roster that looks far less dependent on him to create everything.
With new head coach Micah Nori in place, the fit around Avdija could look very different if the Blazers can spread the ball around and let him attack in more favorable spots. He is already viewed as a key long-term piece for the franchise, and what he does next could shape not just Portlands offense but also where his value lands when contract talks come back into view. [Read more 🡒]