The 3 Burning Questions the Blazers Must Address in Training Camp

The Portland Trail Blazers are less than a week away from the start of training camp, which should reveal a lot about what the team hopes for in the upcoming season.

It's the first year of the Mikkelnori era in Portland, as he comes to the Pacific Northwest after spending the last five years as the lead assistant for the Minnesota Timberwolves. Mikkelnori inherits a roster that made it to the playoffs last season, but there is a lot of room for growth and uncertainty. Here are three burning questions the Blazers have going into training camp, which tips off next week.

Who Will Lead the Offense?

Ja Morant brings the ball up court during the third quarter against the Los Angeles Clippers. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Blazers have three legitimate top-scoring options: Ja Morant, Damian Lillard and Deni Avdija. Morant comes to the Blazers after being acquired in a trade with the Memphis Grizzlies, while Lillard is recovering from a torn Achilles that kept him out all of last season.

Avdija became the team's leading scorer last year, which resulted in his first All-Star appearance. He was able to lead the Blazers to the playoffs as the number one scorer, and as he enters arguably the prime of his career, he has just as much of a chance to do that once again this season.

It will be a challenge for Nori to figure out how all three of them can coexist, but if he can turn these three instruments into a symphony, Portland should have one of the best teams in the Western Conference.

Is Damian Lillard Really Back?

Damian Lillard attends the game between the Portland Fire and the Las Vegas Aces. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Lillard has shown signs that he can still be extremely effective at 36 years old, despite coming off a torn Achilles that kept him out for over a year. His shooting abilities are unmatched, and he should be a big help for the Blazers this season.

Portland might not get the same version of Lillard they had for 11 seasons, from 2012-23, but if they can get someone who is 80 percent as effective as the player he once was, the Blazers should have one of the league's best players on their roster.

Who Gets the Final Roster Spot?

Jeremy Sochan rebounds during the second half against the Washington Wizards. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The final roster spot will likely go to two of Jalen Krejci, Jeremy Sochan, and Micah Potter. Krejci has a partially guaranteed contract that will become fully guaranteed if he makes the opening-night roster, so a poor performance in training camp could lead to his dismissal.

The Blazers also have hungry players in Potter and Sochan, both of whom don't have a direct spot on the roster themselves. Sochan is on an Exhibit 9 contract, which means he is only on the roster for training camp, but that can be converted to a standard deal very easily. Potter is on a partially guaranteed deal until January 10, 2027, so he is also likely to make the roster. The team can easily part ways with him if that's the direction they want to go in.

Out of the three, Sochan is the one who's most on the outside, but as a former top-10 pick, he could have the chance to impress the coaching staff and get a standard deal.

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