Trail Blazers Rotation Evokes Plenty of Questions

ThePortland Trail Blazerswill enter the 2019-20 season with a completely new mid-rotation lineup. NewcomersKent BazemoreandHassan Whitesidewill need to mesh with 2019 acquisitionRodney Hoodand upwardly-mobile youngstersZach CollinsandAnfernee Simons.

In a recent article, Jason Quick of The Athletic offered thoughts on the shape of the roster as the season starts [subscription required]. After dealing summarily with the obvious parts of the starting lineup, Quick delves into the question of whetherKent Bazemoreor Rodney Hood gets the nod at small forward.

One of the interesting developments in training camp and the preseason will be how Hood and Bazemore fit with the players around them. Maybe Bazemore clicks withLillardandMcCollumand Hood develops a synergy withSimons… or maybe vice versa. That cohesion and style of play will largely determine which way Stotts goes at starting small forward, but my sense is Hood will begin camp as the starter because of his familiarity with the system and many of the players.

Quick also addresses the Topic of the Moment, praisingSimons’ performance in Summer League and suggesting that the Blazers are mightily impressed with his scoring ability. In theDamian Lillard-CJ McCollumera, reserve guards don’t get big opportunities...a reality that plaguedShabazz NapierandSeth Curryover the past two seasons. Quick suggests the landscape could change forSimons:

...the Blazers believe Simons is a much better player thanNapierorCurry, as their analytics after two years of Summer League project him on or above the same path of LillardandMcCollum. Perhaps the most encouraging analytic: a 98.6 defensive rating in nine Summer League games.

Quick also talks about the absence ofJusuf Nurkicand the importance ofCollinsas his replacement before concluding that Trail Blazers coachTerry Stottswill have a complex, but enviable, task sorting out all of this.