The Biggest Blazers Development That Actually Matters Moving Forward

It isn’t exactly the world's best-kept secret that the Portland Trail Blazers' biggest weakness last season was their inability to connect on 3-pointers.

Ranking third-to-last in efficiency at 34.3 percent while attempting the second-most 3-pointers per game in the 2025-26 NBA season almost fits the definition of insanity.

Joe Cronin emphasized on media day that, aside from adding the self-proclaimed second-best shooter of all time, Damian Lillard, the main solution to the Blazers’ shooting woes will be internal improvement within the current roster.

A tall task for one of the league's worst shooting teams, but heading into the 2026-27 season, players and the coaching staff are confident they can improve and become a reliable threat from beyond the arc.

That confidence stems not just from the shooters, but, more importantly, from the shots they'll take.

Catch and Shoot Threes Can Change Blazers for the Better

Portland Trail Blazers guard Ja Morant is introduced in the Moda Center. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Blazers' personnel this season is perfectly equipped to support a lot of catch-and-shoot threes. Ja Morant and Deni Avdija are among the league's best at getting their feet in the paint and collapsing defenses, as we have seen in training camp and preseason. Those skill sets go hand-in-hand with Damian Lillard and Jrue Holiday, two of the league's most reliable knockdown shooters.

With so much offensive firepower on the Blazers squad, the offensive burden won't rest solely on one player's shoulders, and players like Morant or Avdija will find themselves off the ball more than they are used to. Being a reliable three-point shooter in those off-ball positions is crucial to the team’s offense, and Morant is looking forward to it.

It may seem surprising that a career 31 percent three-point shooter is excited to be put in the position to shoot it more, but Morant believes his struggles were due to his role, not his ability.

“I get a lot of catch-and-shoots, which is a rare kind of thing for me,“ said Morant after the second practice of training camp. “I was shooting off the dribble; how many catch-and-shoots you seen me (attempt)? Honest catch-and-shoots?“

And it isn’t only Morant who is enamored about the easier jump shot; Avdija echoed the same sentiment during training camp.

“We have a lot of good decision makers that will help you have way more open shots, high efficiency“ Avdija said. “It looks different when you catch it off a catch-and-shoot than like (when) you’re dribbling around.“

Yes, of course, generating better shots is only half of the equation. The Blazers still need to make their shots, and after last season, they've given plenty of reasons to be skeptical. However, there is a significant difference between expecting a player to simply improve their shooting and placing them in situations where the shot becomes easier.

With the pace and assertiveness of Micah Nori’s offense, and the elite driving and finishing of Morant and Avdija, defenses will scramble and collapse frequently. The Blazers will often have the chance to find an open man on the perimeter, and the team's offensive success will depend on how often they can knock the shot down.

If they improve and shoot even just above league average, you’re looking at one of the league's most potent offenses.

If they keep shooting below average, the Blazers will find solutions that go well beyond shot quality and really look at the players who take them.

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