There were plenty of reasons not to believe that the Trail Blazers were going to take a significant step forward in 2025/26.
Two of Portland's most significant roster additions during the 2025 offseason were a veteran who would sit out the entire year while recovering from a torn Achilles (Damian Lillard) and a first-round pick who didn't appear ready to immediately contribute as a rookie (Yang Hansen). Then, head coach Chauncey Billups was arrested during the first week of the regular season as part of a federal investigation into illegal gambling, prompting the team to pivot to an interim head coach, Tiago Splitter, after a single game.
But a Blazers season that looked like it might quickly go off the rails turned out to be the most promising year the team has had in a half-decade, as Portland finished over .500 and made the playoffs for the first time since 2021.
Sixth-year forward Deni Avdija led the way, making a leap from solid starter to star and earning the first All-Star nod of his career while finishing as a Most Improved Player finalist. However, there was no shortage of complementary pieces fueling the Blazers' success.
Toumani Camara played all 82 games and continued to establish himself as an impact two-way player; Jerami Grant enjoyed a bounce-back season following a down 2024/25; Jrue Holiday fit into the backcourt exactly like the front office envisioned when he was acquired last summer from Boston; second-year center Donovan Clingan established himself as a reliable starter in the middle, while Robert Williams was healthy enough to back him up for most of the season; and Splitter acquitted himself well after being unexpectedly thrust into his first NBA head coaching job.
The 2025/26 season provided a number of reasons for optimism in Portland, and Lillard's impending return is another. Still, there are some question marks entering the summer that can't be overlooked.
Was finally freeing up their lottery-protected first-round pick by conveying the No. 15 overall selection to Chicago a good thing, or will it hurt the Blazers not to add another young player to this core? Is a consolidation trade for a star necessary to become a true contender? And just how aggressively will new team owner Tom Dundon, who has already made several headlines related to off-court cost-cutting moves, be willing to spend on his roster?
The Trail Blazers' Offseason Plans
Ten of the 15 players who finished the season on Portland's standard roster have guaranteed salaries for 2026/27, while two more - Vit Krejci and Sidy Cissoko - have non-guaranteed minimum salaries that look like pretty good deals. In other words, before they begin seriously exploring the trade market or talking to free agents, the Blazers could open the offseason with 12 of their 15 roster spots already spoken for.
