Portland Trail Blazers Season Preview: Moving Forward

ThePortland Trail Blazerswill begin their 2023-24 season next Wednesday against the Los Angeles Clippers. The Blazers made more roster moves this summer than any in recent memory. If you’re just tuning in as the season starts, or if you need a refresher, we’re going to get you up to date in our season preview over the next few days.

Last weekend wecovered Portland’s center position, an area for potential growth. Today we’ll look at the new crop of forwards on the roster. Enthusiasm may be more measured at these positions, but the Blazers are certainly trying.

Jerami Grant

波特兰的前锋兵团的严肃讨论begins with Jerami Grant. Over 63 games last season the 6’8 power forward scored 20.5 points on 47.5% shooting, a striking 40.1% from the three-point arc. The latter skill sets Grant apart among his peers, as he’s one of the few remaining players who can hit a three. His offensive efficiency will be prized on a team that’s likely to lack it.

Grant can also defend the perimeter, a welcome bonus. His court savvy and opportunism create a near-ideal blend, marking him as one of the best complementary players in the league.

The problem is, the serious discussion of Portland’s forward corps also ends with Grant. He has more years of experience (9) than all of his forward teammates combined (4).

Grant stands alone on a pedestal. The Blazers will lean on him for leadership, scoring, shooting, and defense. That’s a tall order. Any team would love to have him. Few would tab him as a singular superstar. He may end up playing a bongo drum in the middle of the ocean. The rhythm is awesome and the drummer skilled, but what are we doing here?

Grant has never been a big rebounder. That’s likely to create issues, since none of his smaller teammates are proven rebounders either. If last year’s 4.5 rebounds per game is the best Grant can do, Portland’s centers are going to be red-lined. They’ll have to send wings and guards crashing the boards. That’s going to impair their ability to run, a cornerstone of their new offensive plan.

Ish Wainwright

This week the Blazers waived forward Kevin Knox II, literally their only experienced forward on the roster outside of Grant. In his place they brought in Ish Wainwright, a 29-year-old combo forward who’s played a total of two seasons with thePhoenix Suns. Before that, he spent time in the G League and in Europe, trying to build a career out of defense and a strong work ethic.

Wainwright’s shooting touch is a work in progress. He’s not a scorer. Despite that, he earned 15.3 minutes per game in 60 appearances with the Suns last year. The Blazers likely brought him in to be a role model for their younger players, eating up utility minutes as necessary without embarrassing them on defense.

Young Hopefuls

Behind Grant and Wainwright, the Blazers will audition a quartet of young hopefuls.

Jabari Walker is the early standout among them. He played only 11.1 minutes per game over 56 appearances last year, but developed nicely when given more responsibility as the season waned. He’s got game close to the bucket, he can face up, and a combination of skills and court vision make him dangerous. The former second-round pick will likely start the season as the first forward off the bench. If he displays aggressive rebounding and defense, he should earn a permanent spot in the rotation.

Rookie Toumani Camara has turned heads during preseason. He’s 6’8, agile, and knows how to get himself in position defensively. He was a throw-in to the Damian Lillard/Jusuf Nurkic trade, but with enough seasoning, he could become a game-changer. He’s not expected to impact the current season much. He’ll probably spend the year collecting fouls on one end, learning how to get open on the other, but he’s earmarked for a serious look.

The Blazers also bring on boardIowa Stateforward Kris Murray (selected 23rd overall in this year’s draft) and longshot project Justin Minaya. Neither can shoot from distance. Murray stands 6’8 and can move the ball, at least. He was a good scorer in college but is unlikely to get may reps or attempts at the NBA level. It’ll be interesting to see how he defends. If he can develop on that end of the floor, he should be able to steal minutes this year, given the roster holes around him.

Conclusion

The forward spots are not strong suits for the Blazers. Aside from Grant, the entire group reads 12th-15th men in the rotation. Portland will probably end up converting guards to play the three-spot, or running experimental lineups that bump Grant down to small forward. Neither is likely to find success.

If the team founders, Grant may end up on the trading block. That would leave a complete void at forward, giving Portland targets for their lottery picks over the next few years.

Grant or no Grant, the season is going to be a wild ride at the three and four spots. The word “developmental” was invented for situations like this. We’ll see what they come up with.

Up Next: Guards Galore