Best and Worst Case Scenarios for the Blazers This Season

The Portland Trail Blazers are hoping to do more than just get back to the playoffs in the 2026-27 season. They accomplished a goal of theirs by breaking their postseason drought last year, but now that they are in the playoff picture, their expectations need to grow.

The Blazers have reason to perform better this season because Damian Lillard and Ja Morant are joining the starting lineup, which could form one of the better backcourts in the NBA. This, along with the implementation of new head coach Micah Nori, gives the Blazers a chance to be one of the surprise teams in the Western Conference.

Here's a look at the best- and worst-case scenarios for the Blazers going into the season.

Best-Case Scenario: Blazers Win a Playoff Series

Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija reacts to gameplay against the Charlotte Hornets. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

There is reason to believe the Blazers can win their first playoff series since 2019. They have a talented roster that got even better over the offseason, and they have veteran leadership. Lillard was the team's best player when they went all the way to the Western Conference Finals almost eight years ago and it's possible that he can re-discover that magic that made him so good now that he's back in a Blazers uniform.

The West has a clear top tier with the Oklahoma City Thunder and the San Antonio Spurs, but there are a number of teams fighting for those other two spots in the Western Conference semifinals. The Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Houston Rockets are the likeliest teams to fill those spots, but the Blazers are a team that could challenge as they look to take the next step.

The way this happens is that Portland stays healthy with the players that are not injured at the moment. The Blazers haven't had the best injury luck over the last couple of years, and the players they are counting on to be healthy don't have the greatest track records. Their depth in the backcourt, with Morant, Lillard, Jrue Holiday, and Scoot Henderson, could carry them throughout the season.

The defense is a bit of a question mark, but if Portland can play league average on that end of the floor, they should have a chance to win close to 50 games. That would give them a chance to compete in a first-round series against another very capable team, with the chance of winning.

It's hard to imagine them beating the Thunder or Spurs to reach the Western Conference Finals, but a second-round exit is plausible.

Worst-Case Scenario: It All Falls Apart

Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija reacts toward a referee after getting called for a foul. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

You can look at the cup half full or half empty, and there's a chance that the Blazers' hopes all come tumbling down.

Lillard could find his peak once again now that he's back in Portland, but he could also be a 36-year-old struggling to get back to who he was after tearing his Achilles. The Morant trade looks promising, but he has dealt with injury problems in the past. It remains to be seen if he will be able to adapt to the type of offense Portland is trying to build. Deni Avdija found a lot of momentum last season, but with Morant and Lillard introduced into the equation, he might shrivel back to a mere role player.

There are a lot of things that could go wrong with this Blazers team, especially when it comes to health. In a competitive Western Conference, that could lead to them going back into the lottery.

New owner Tom Dundon is frosty in his negotiations to sign a new lease for the Moda Center. The results of that negotiation process could trickle into the team, which could produce negative results and a loss of morale.

While a lot can go right, there's probably more that can go wrong. That doesn't mean the Blazers will be worse than they were a year ago, but there is a lot of risk with the current roster. Blazers fans would be delusional if they didn't at least keep that in mind.

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