3 Biggest Questions Facing the Blazers This Offseason

With a new owner in Tom Dundon and a roster logjam, the Portland Trail Blazers face a pivotal summer to define their identity.

Portland Trail Blazers center Donovan Clingan reaches for a loose ball | Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

The Portland Trail Blazers are getting the tires going in their offseason push after losing to the San Antonio Spurs in five games in the first round of the NBA Playoffs.

The Blazers face a tough offseason ahead as they look to move forward into the hierarchy of the Western Conference without a ton of wiggle room, which makes this an intriguing offseason for Portland.

Here's a look at the three biggest questions facing the Blazers this offseason:

Will Tiago Splitter Stay as Head Coach?

Portland Trail Blazers head coach Tiago Splitter during the second half of game two. | Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

The speculation surrounding Splitter's future is about the philosophical alignment between the coaching staff and a front office that may be pivoting toward a long-term rebuild.

While Splitter has been praised for his player development, particularly with the younger rotation, the system he implemented requires a level of veteran discipline the current roster often lacks.

If the Blazers decide to lean even harder into their youth movement, the question becomes whether Splitter is viewed as the bridge or the long-term tactician capable of navigating a high-stakes Western Conference.

With new owner Tom Dundon coming into the fold, the Blazers could look to start fresh with his guy or hand the reins to Splitter in hopes he can get more out of his group next season.

Do the Blazers Trade Shaedon Sharpe, Scoot Henderson or Both?

Portland Trail Blazers guard Shaedon Sharpe and guard Scoot Henderson. | David Richard-Imagn Images

The logjam in the backcourt has moved past a developmental luxury and into a genuine roster construction crisis. Keeping both Sharpe and Henderson assumes that their skill sets will eventually overlap in a winning way, but the reality is that both require high usage rates to maximize their value.

Trading Sharpe would likely net a massive return of established wing depth or future-proofing assets, given his elite ceiling.

Moving Scoot Henderson would be a massive admission of a failed top-three pick, but it might be necessary if the team decides that Sharpe is the true cornerstone. Henderson is a free agent in 2027, so his future is absolutely on the line. He hasn't proven that he deserves to be a max guy quite yet.

With Damian Lillard coming back into the fold next season and the Blazers hoping to contend, it's likely that one of these lottery picks won't play in Portland moving forward.

How Will the Blazers Recover From Not Having Draft Picks?

Portland Trail Blazers general manager Joe Cronin looks on before the game against the Chicago Bulls. | Soobum Im-Imagn Images

Operating without any picks in a deep draft forces the front office to get creative. To recover, Portland must leverage their remaining TPEs (Trade Player Exceptions) to absorb unwanted contracts from tax-strapped teams in exchange for late-round capital or developmental projects.

Look for the Blazers to be aggressive in the international scouting, seeking pro-ready talent that bypassed traditional collegiate routes.

Without the luxury of a lottery pick to reset the clock, the focus shifts entirely to internal skill progression, specifically hoping for a Year 3 jump from the current bench and high-variance swings on players who fell out of favor elsewhere in the league.