Damian Lillard expects to start alongside Deni Avdija and Ja Morant this season, a statement that immediately creates a massive headache for first-year Blazers coach Micah Nori. Lillard dropped this at media availability during training camp on Tuesday, and apparently, it was news to Coach Nori, who has been clear he doesn’t yet know his starters. According to The Athletic, Nori even said Lillard and Morant starting together would make little sense. Yikes.
Three’s a Crowd in Portland’s Backcourt
The Blazers are in a serious bind here. They made a big move earlier this offseason, trading for Ja Morant. Then, last summer, they reacquired Damian Lillard after he recovered from a torn Achilles. Before all that, last season, Deni Avdija blew up and became an All-Star as Portland’s only reliable ball-handler. See the problem? One consistent shot creator? Not enough. Three, especially in the wrong mix? Way too many. It’s a classic NBA locker room dynamic: players fight hard for their starting spot, for their reputation and their earning power. But sometimes, you just gotta make a tough basketball decision for the good of the team. And right now, the Blazers are stuck in that exact dilemma.
Why Ja Morant Has to Come Off the Bench
Avdija is the youngest and, right now, the best of the bunch, so he’s definitely starting. The real question is who lines up next to him. And the cold, hard basketball truth is, it cannot be both Lillard and Morant. Seriously, if those two started together, they’d form the NBA’s worst defensive backcourt. Think about it: adding two extra ball handlers next to Avdija just mutes his own impact. And Morant’s poor shooting? That’s only going to cramp the floor even more for Avdija. These are the kind of concerns that probably should have popped up when the Blazers were talking about the Morant trade, but hey, that ship has sailed. He’s on the team, so they have to figure out how to maximize him. On paper, the answer is screaming at them: Morant comes off the bench for the Blazers. Lillard, if he’s the healthy version we know, is the perfect balance for what the Blazers needed. Avdija desperately needed someone to share that shot-creation load. Lillard’s shooting lets him easily play off-ball when Avdija has it, and his pick-and-roll skills should open up so many doors for Avdija that were slammed shut last season. Plus, just sharing that offensive burden should help Avdija get back to being a better defender after a year of doing everything on offense.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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