The Portland Trail Blazers have some good things going for them heading into the 2025-26 season.
The young roster established a defensive identity last season that it can continue to build on — bolstered by the addition of Jrue Holiday and departures of Anfernee Simons and Deandre Ayton. Deni Avdija and Toumani Camara emerged as quality building blocks who provided strong two-way play at the forward spots. And young guards Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe are hopefully in for developmental leaps this season. Plus, swapping Simons for Holiday makes for a much more complementary three-guard rotation on offense and defense.
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With better roster cohesion, a stronger defense and natural internal development, the Blazers should be a better team than last year’s squad that finished No. 12 in the West with a 36-46 record. However, even when viewing things through the most optimistic lens, the Western Conference is still a juggernaut of depth.
The predicament jumped out at me as I wrote the post about John Schuhmann’s current Western Conference power rankings at NBA.com. Schuhmann also gave a pretty optimistic read of the Blazers, and still, he had them outside the play-in at No. 11. And it wasn’t like he put any egregious entries ahead of Portland in the rankings. The San Antonio Spurs, who should be much stronger next season with a healthy Victor Wembanyama and De’Aaron Fox, landed only at No. 10, illustrating the conference’s strength.
The topic brings us to today’s community discussion question: Which teams can the Blazers leapfrog in the West this year?
For context, here were last year’s Western Conference standings:
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Oklahoma City Thunder (68-14)
Los Angeles Lakers (50-32)
Los Angeles Clippers (50-32)
Minnesota Timberwolves (49-33)
Golden State Warriors (48-34)
Memphis Grizzlies (48-34)
Portland Trail Blazers (36-46)
San Antonio Spurs (34-48)
New Orleans Pelicans (21-61)
The Blazers will enter the season with goals of the playoffs or at least, the play-in. In your mind, which teams will they pass by to get there? Or do you not see it happening? Let us know in the comment section below!