Trail Blazers Nightly

This roster leans on experience in the backcourt. Damian Lillard is 36 and in his 14th season. Jrue Holiday is also 36 and has 17 years in the league. Ja Morant, 27, brings seven years of experience. Scoot Henderson, 22, is entering his third season. Up front, Deni Avdija and Toumani Camara anchor the wings. Donovan Clingan, 22, leads a center group that includes Robert Williams III, Micah Potter, Branden Carlson and rookie Yang Hansen, who is 21. Vit Krejci and Sidy Cissoko add guard depth. Several familiar names are gone. Jerami Grant and Kris Murray are now with the Grizzlies. Caleb Love left for the 76ers. Matisse Thybulle is now a Laker. The front office turned over the wing rotation and added more ballhandling at the top.

Shaedon Sharpe is the biggest absence. He is out with a right knee injury, and his estimated return is March 2, 2027. That takes away a lot of scoring. Last season Sharpe averaged 20.8 points in 50 games and 29.4 minutes. The good news is short-term. Branden Carlson is out with a concussion, and Chris Youngblood is out with a left ankle injury. Both have an estimated return of Oct. 27, the night Portland visits the Lakers. Until then, the guard minutes run through Lillard, Holiday, Morant and Henderson. Krejci and Cissoko are next in line. Without Sharpe, the Blazers need Avdija to carry the scoring load again, with Morant and Lillard sharing the shot creation.

Portland went 42-40 last season. The team posted a 113.1 offensive rating and a 113.5 defensive rating, a net rating of -0.4. The Blazers played fast at a pace of 101.6 and scored 115.5 points per game. Avdija was the engine. He averaged 24.2 points, 6.9 rebounds and 6.7 assists in 66 games last season. Camara played all 82 games and averaged 13.4 points with a 37.0 three-point percentage. Clingan averaged 12.1 points and 11.6 rebounds in 77 games. Holiday averaged 16.3 points and 6.1 assists, shot 37.8 from three and had a +/- of 3.7. Morant played only 20 games last season, averaging 19.5 points and 8.1 assists. Potter shot 42.3 from three and Krejci shot 39.0.

The first stretch is mostly on the road. After tonight at Sacramento, Portland visits the Lakers on Oct. 27 in a national game on NBC/Peacock. That night also brings a reunion with Matisse Thybulle. The Blazers come home to face Memphis on Oct. 29, where Jerami Grant and Kris Murray now play. Then it is back on the road at Utah on Oct. 31 and at Denver on Nov. 2. That is two Northwest Division road games in the opening run. Portland plays an 80-game regular-season schedule this year, with 15 national TV games. The early slate tests the depth right away. Carlson and Youngblood are expected back by the Lakers game, which should loosen up the rotation.

Off the court, the arena and the franchise's future are part of the conversation. Per Mike Vorkunov, Dundon said the "priority" is to keep the Trail Blazers in Portland. The front office has also trimmed and filled out the camp roster. The Blazers waived Jeremy Sochan. Per Joe Freeman, Portland is signing Caleb Houstan to an Exhibit 10 deal. Recent Blazers notes have centered on Lillard, Avdija, Henderson, the rotation and the arena. Northwest notes from Jason Quick touched on Morant, Lillard, Hayes and Williams. How the minutes shake out among the veteran guards is the storyline to watch. With Lillard, Holiday, Morant and Henderson all in the mix, the rotation will take shape over the first few weeks.