2 Winners and 2 Losers from the Portland Trail Blazers' Offseason, Including Ja Morant

The Portland Trail Blazers have been one of the busiest teams in the NBA this offseason. They were able to completely reshape the direction of the franchise with the acquisition of star guard Ja Morant, while continuing to build around their strong young core. With their flurry of moves, Portland's starting lineup is shaping up to look quite different than last year.

The offseason is still far from complete, and the Blazers still have a roster spot to fill. There are also significant questions surrounding the Blazers' frontcourt depth after the departure of Jerami Grant. However, the dust is beginning to settle, which makes this a good time to look at some of the winners and losers from Portland's offseason.

Winner: Ja Morant

Nov 22, 2022; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (12) reacts after a basket during the second half against the Sacramento Kings at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Ja Morant is the biggest winner of the Trail Blazers' offseason. Morant was in desperate need of a fresh start after things went south quickly in Memphis. He now gets the opportunity to rebrand and become the face of the franchise in Portland. Instead of joining an aging contender, Morant found a landing spot that has a capable young core that is able to grow around him.

Winner: Donovan Clingan

Mar 3, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Portland Trail Blazers center Donovan Clingan (23) looks on during the third quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Speaking of the Blazers' young core, Donovan Clingan is another big winner of the offseason. The addition of Ja Morant signals that Portland is looking to build an offensive identity around playing fast and aggressive. This means that Clingan will have no shortage of opportunities for easy buckets and putbacks in addition to remaining a lob threat.

Loser: Scoot Henderson

Jan 14, 2025; Portland, Oregon, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard Scoot Henderson (00) looks on during the first half against the Brooklyn Nets at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-Imagn Images | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

While the majority of the Blazers' young core benefitted this offseason, Henderson is likely to have a significantly reduced role next year as a result of the acquisition of Ja Morant. His upside is undeniable, but with the Blazers expressing a desire to start Damian Lillard alongside Ja Morant, Henderson is likely looking at coming off the bench with Jrue Holiday barring an injury.

Loser: Yang Hansen

Nov 19, 2025; Portland, Oregon, USA; Portland Trail Blazers center Yang Hansen (16) shoots over Chicago Bulls forward Jalen Smith (25) during the first half at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Similar to Henderson, Yang will have an uphill path to a major role next season. The Blazers brought back Robert Williams III on a three-year deal worth $44M. This move signals that they are not ready to utilize Yang as the primary backup center to Clingan. Yang did not have a huge role last season, but he will now have to wait a few years before having the opportunity to shine in Portland.

Many of Portland's winners and losers this offseason are directly tied to the acquisition of Ja Morant. Certain players' ceilings will likely be raised, and others are in a position to see a reduced role. The Blazers still have a lot to figure out with their rotation, as their roster suddenly got more competitive overnight, but it will be interesting to see how everything shakes out.

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