Portland Trail Blazers head coach Micah Nori has a lot to learn about his team as he is getting ready to embark on his first season with the franchise.
Nori has soaked up a lot of knowledge in his short time with the team, and it is all beginning to show itself during training camp. Here’s a look at the team’s projected starting lineup and rotation and some questions that should have answers revealed over the next couple of weeks ahead of the Oct. 21 season opener against the Phoenix Suns.
Position
Starter
Backup
Bench
Two-Way
Camp Deal
PG
Damian Lillard
Jrue Holiday
John Tonje
SG
Ja Morant
Scoot Henderson
Shaedon Sharpe (injured)
Chris Youngblood
SF
Toumani Camara
Vit Krejci
Jayson Kent
PF
Deni Avdija
Sidy Cissoko
Micah Potter
Jeremy Sochan
C
Donovan Clingan
Robert Williams III
Hansen Yang, Branden Carlson
Who is the Starting Backcourt?
Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard during media day. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The Blazers have a crowded backcourt rotation with Damian Lillard, Ja Morant, Scoot Henderson and Jrue Holiday. While all four could start on most teams in the league, Portland will only be able to start two of them during most games this season. If I had to guess, Lillard and Morant would draw those starting spots to start out, but Nori should have an open mind about possibly shaking that up if he doesn’t get the desired results.
The beauty of this type of rotation is that the starting lineup doesn’t necessarily have to mirror the closing one. It will likely come down to who is feeling hot throughout the game rather than a predetermined hierarchy.
Who is the Backup Small Forward?
Portland Trail Blazers guard Vit Krejci during media day. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
As of now, Krejci will likely be the team’s backup small forward, but there is an argument for Sidy Cissoko to also occupy that role. Krejci has a partial guarantee on his contract going into the season, so questions still surround his role. His contract becomes fully guaranteed at the start of the season, so if he is on the roster, he should have a set role going into the year.
Krejci was acquired in a trade with the Atlanta Hawks just ahead of the trade deadline back in February. The team brought him in to improve their three-point spacing, but he struggled from downtown during his stint with Portland last year. A new season and a fresh coaching staff could be what he needs to reignite the spark he had while he was in Atlanta.
Will Jeremy Sochan Make the Final Roster?
Portland Trail Blazers guard Jeremy Sochan during media day. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Jeremy Sochan is currently on an Exhibit 9 deal, which only guarantees him a place within the organization during training camp. The team has 14 players on the active roster, which means there is an open spot that could be taken by him if Portland wanted him to stick around. Sochan could also replace Krejci or Micah Potter if Portland felt better about him than about the others.
Sochan is a former lottery pick and saw some action during the NBA Finals last season with the New York Knicks. He is very capable of being part of an NBA roster, and even a rotation if he finds the right spot. His training camp should be seen as a trial run for him, so keep an eye on Sochan over the next couple of weeks.
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