3 Blazers Were Snubbed For NBA Awards — Here's Why

Multiple Portland Trail Blazers were on the outside looking in on 2025-26's NBA award ballots. Were those snubs justified?

Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija celebrates after making a three-point shot during the second half against the Chicago Bulls at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-Imagn Images | Soobum Im-Imagn Images

On a weekend dedicated to announcing the league’s top players and award finalists, the Portland Trail Blazers found themselves often overlooked in 2025-26.

Toumani Camara and Donovan Clingan earned leaguewide acclaim, but ultimately finished shy of the votes required to make the NBA’s All Defensive First or Second Team. That became a weekend—long trend, as Deni Avdija, similarly, became the first snub on the All-NBA Team ballots.

It isn’t necessarily an end-of-the-world development, but for Portland — a franchise that has historically played the underdog role often — it is noteworthy, given how many times their stars came close. To take note of each individually:

Deni Avdija

Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija celebrates during the second half against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Per Game Stats: 24.2 PPG | 6.9 RPG | 6.7 APG | 46-32-80% | +0.6 on-off

On Apr. 24, 2026, it was announced that Blazers star Deni Avdija would finish as a third-place finalist on the NBA’s Most Improved Player of the Year voting, behind only the award-winning Nickeil Alexander-Walker and the runner-up Jalen Duren.

To this day, it’s likely that there’s someone along the Pacific Northwest arguing that the award should have Avdija’s name on it. Perhaps, if only the award captured both regular-season and postseason play, a development that could’ve vaulted Avdija a few unquestionable notches higher.

The list of snubs continued for Avdija, as shown in the All-NBA voting above. All told, he finished with 26 points — 23 points for his Third Team votes, and three for his Second Team vote. This made him the first runner-up among the non-winners, but also too far to necessarily catch Chet Holmgren (87 points) or Duren (121 points).

If one were making the case for Avdija’s well-deserved nod, it would’ve likely started by explaining his versatility and importance within the Blazers’ much-improved offense. Portland enjoyed a six-win improvement from 2024-25 to 2025-26, earned their franchise’s first postseason appearance since 2021, and along the way, Avdija became one of just three players to average a 24-point, six-rebound, six-assist statline. The others: All-NBA First Team finishers Luka Dončić and Nikola Jokić.

Nonetheless, the season was nothing short of a storybook for Avdija. The question becomes this: after six consecutive seasons of upping his per-game scoring production, can he miraculously make it seven next season? 

If he does so efficiently, Portland’s win totals — and his award aspirations — elevate from disputable to undeniable.

Toumani Camara and Donovan Clingan

Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic and Portland Trail Blazers center Donovan Clingan reach for a loose ball as forward Toumani Camara looks on in the first quarter at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

Per Game Stats (Camara) — 1.1 SPG | 0.4 BPG | 106 charging fouls forced (NBA-record)
Per Game Stats (Clingan) — 0.6 SPG | 1.7 BPG | 13.4 shot contests per game (NBA-best)

From box score statistics to pure eye test “vibes,” Camara and Clingan had defensive checklists — and opposing scorers for that matter — well-covered during each of their elite seasons in 2025-26.

If the NBA’s media panelists were grasping at straws, it’s likely that they would’ve preferred to see the Blazers’ defense be of the lockdown sort over a full season’s entirety. For instance, consider a compare and contrast from early-season to late-season:

Blazers Defense, pre-All-Star break:

— 115.5 DRTG (No. 18)

— 54.6 eFG% allowed (No. 18)

— 15.2 turnovers forced (No. 11)

Blazers Defense, post-All-Star break:

— 109.3 DRTG (No. 3)

— 52.7 eFG% allowed (No. 6)

— 16.5 turnovers forced (No. 3.)

Nonetheless, both players’ cases are incredibly deserving, especially when factoring the historical aspect. As noted, Camara became the first player in NBA history to amass 100 or more offensive fouls drawn, routinely slowing the rhythm of opposing offenses leaguewide.

There’s also the matter of his distance traveled — a league-best 106.9 total miles — and the high-profile assignments he was often asked to handle, and his case strengthens tenfold.

Clingan, similarly, was the ultimate “the possession ends here” type of defender, finishing at No. 1 in both shot contests and No. 2 in contested defensive rebounds in 2025-26. Impact was everywhere for the second-year big.

Around-the-league observers will be saying the same thing about other big-name snubs, such as San Antonio’s Stephon Castle and Houston’s Amen Thompson. The final tally saw Camara (28 points) and Clingan (two points) earn ballot recognition which counts for something. One can expect to see them on year-to-year ballots over the seasons to come.

Was Anyone Else Missing?

Portland Trail Blazers players huddle before the game against the Charlotte Hornets at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Jaime Valdez-Imagn Images | Jaime Valdez-Imagn Images

Not necessarily, but for as long as he’s a high-minute player, Jrue Holiday will always have a word. 

Portland doesn’t necessarily ask the 35-year-old to be the game-wrecking defensive presence that he was in, say, New Orleans, as Portland fans likely remember. But, the numbers speak for themselves: Holiday forced a +9.8 on-off swing in 1,560 regular-season minutes and has the built-in reputation.

Offensive limitations won’t allow it, but if Matisse Thybulle played more games (and minutes), he could’ve worked up a case. Among the 389 players to play at least 30 games, his deflections per game (3.9) ranked seventh-highest.

The good news: the NBA’s media members seem to prioritize winning, something that the Blazers could be in position to do quite often in 2026-27. With another jump to, say, a 50-win season or better, approval from the panelists will undoubtedly follow.