The One Thing the Blazers Need Most from Each Starter

The Portland Trail Blazers are employing a new starting lineup for the upcoming season that will likely feature Damian Lillard, Ja Morant, Toumani Camara, Deni Avdija and Donovan Clingan.

Each player has unique strengths to bring to the court, which should create a dynamic starting five that will rival some of the best in the league. Blazers head coach Micah Nori can experiment with other players in the starting lineup, but this is what's expected from the group going into training camp next month.

Here's a look at the thing the Blazers need most from each starter.

Damian Lillard: 3-Point Shooting

Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard attempts a three point basket against the Golden State Warriors. | USA TODAY Sports

Lillard won the three-point contest last season despite not playing a single game for the Blazers, as he was recovering from a torn Achilles he suffered in the 2025 playoffs while playing with the Milwaukee Bucks.

Lillard will help the Blazers improve from their 26th-place spot in the three-point percentage rankings in the NBA. His spacing will allow players like Morant and Avdija to drive into the lane, and that will ultimately be a crucial point of Portland's offense.

On top of his shooting abilities, Lillard's leadership should come in handy as he makes his return to the franchise that made him the No. 6 overall pick in the 2012 NBA draft.

Ja Morant: Attacking the Paint

Ja Morant stands on the court following the game against the Charlotte Hornets. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Morant averaged 15.7 drives per game in 20 appearances with the Grizzlies last season. His athleticism allows him to enter the paint with force, which usually ends up in him either throwing down an emphatic dunk or getting fouled and going to the free-throw line. Either way, that sets the Blazers up for two easy points, which is the ultimate goal the team wants with Morant having the ball on his hands.

Morant can also get his teammates set up nicely for their own particular games, and having another point guard out on the court next to Lillard should help the team offensively in a major way.

Toumani Camara: Defense

Portland Trail Blazers forward Toumani Camara reacts toward a fan during the first half. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

While Lillard and Morant should help the Blazers' offense soar, their defense might be worrisome. That's why Camara is such an important part of the operation. Camara is one of the league's best defenders, and he will be defending the opposing team's best scorer every single night.

Camara played in all 82 games for the Blazers this past season, which is a sign that he has the durability to last an entire year. Knowing that the Blazers have several undersized guards, Camara's presence should help the team make up for some of the defensive mismatches they'll have in the backcourt.

Nori will have a tough task building defensive coverages with his backcourt, but Camara should be a focal point in helping create those. Putting Camara on the perimeter to meet the lead guard at halfcourt could help make up for these defensive struggles from Morant and Lillard.

Deni Avdija: Swiss Army Knife Abilities

Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija warms up before game five of the first round. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

While Morant averaged 15.7 drives per game, Avdija led the league with 19.4 drives last season. He was the primary creator for the Blazers, which led to him becoming an All-Star and one of the league's most improved players.

His creator tendencies will take a bit of a turn this season with Morant and Lillard both on the court, but that doesn't mean Portland should take the ball out of his hands. Avdija might still be the Blazers' best player, and they're going to need him to contribute in whatever way he can as an all-around playmaker. His role may not look the same every night, but his ability to do it all is what makes him so valuable to Portland.

Avdija will have to revert to how he played with the Washington Wizards as a secondary option sharing the ball with Lillard and Morant, but he will utilize the tools he has built over the last two years with the Blazers as a stronger offensive player to help create his game.

Donovan Clingan: Rim Protection

San Antonio Spurs center Luke Kornet shoots over Portland Trail Blazers center Donovan Clingan. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

I previously mentioned how small the Blazers are in the backcourt, and they also aren't very large in the frontcourt. That's why having a 7-footer in Clingan is very important for protecting the paint. Teams will try to pry Clingan away from the paint, opening up driving lanes, but the Blazers need to figure out a way to keep him close to the rim as much as possible.

Clingan averaged 1.7 blocks per game last season for the Blazers, and he will need to inch a little closer to 2 per game in order to continue adding value for the team.

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