Chaos. That is the only way to describe what has been happening at the Moda Center lately. If you’ve tuned into a game recently, you know the Portland Trail Blazers starting lineup isn't exactly a finished product. It’s more like a chemistry experiment where the lab is occasionally on fire. Chauncey Billups is juggling a roster overflowing with "maybe" guys and "not yet" prospects, and honestly, it’s fascinating to watch the hierarchy shift every single week.
Last season was a bit of a wake-up call. Fans expected Scoot Henderson to walk in and immediately be the next Damian Lillard, but the NBA is a brutal teacher. Now, in 2026, the rotation has settled into something more deliberate, though no less volatile. The days of "Dame Time" are gone, replaced by a gritty, sometimes clunky, but undeniably athletic group of young players trying to find an identity in a Western Conference that doesn't care about their feelings.
The Guard Logjam and the Scoot Henderson Reality
The biggest question mark surrounding the Portland Trail Blazers starting lineup since the Lillard trade has been the backcourt. You have Scoot Henderson, Anfernee Simons, and Shaedon Sharpe. You simply cannot start all three without getting absolutely demolished on the defensive end. It’s a math problem that Billups hasn't quite solved, or perhaps, a problem he’s choosing to ignore in favor of development.
Scoot’s sophomore leap was more of a hop than a jump, but the flashes of brilliance are there. He’s built like a linebacker and plays with a downhill aggression that forces defenses to collapse. When he’s on, the transition game is lethal. But the shooting? It’s still a work in progress. That’s why Anfernee Simons remains the "steady" hand in the backcourt. Simons provides the spacing that Scoot desperately needs. Without Ant’s gravity as a shooter, the paint becomes a mosh pit, and Scoot’s rim pressure vanishes.
Then there’s Shaedon Sharpe. He might be the most talented player on the roster. Seriously. His verticality is 1-of-1, and he has a knack for scoring that looks effortless, almost lazy, until he’s suddenly at the rim. The problem is consistency. On some nights, he looks like a future All-NBA mainstay; on others, he’s a ghost in the corners. Moving him in and out of the starting five has been a point of contention for Blazers fans on Reddit and local sports talk radio for months.
The Frontcourt: Deni Avdija and the Identity Shift
Joe Cronin made a massive move by bringing in Deni Avdija from the Wizards, and it’s arguably the most "pro" move this front office has made in years. Avdija isn't a superstar, but he’s exactly what the Portland Trail Blazers starting lineup lacked: a connective tissue. He’s a high-IQ playmaker who can defend multiple positions and, more importantly, he doesn't need the ball to be effective.
💡 You might also like: El Salvador partido de hoy: Why La Selecta is at a Critical Turning Point
In a lineup where Scoot and Ant want to dominate touches, you need a guy like Deni who will make the extra pass, grab a tough rebound, and cut to the hoop when the defense falls asleep. He’s basically the adult in the room. Alongside him, Jerami Grant remains the veteran anchor. There were constant rumors about Grant being traded to a contender—the Lakers, the Mavs, you name it—but he’s still here. His ability to create his own shot at the end of a shot clock is a safety net for a young team that often gets stuck in "hero ball" mode.
Grant’s role is weird, though. He’s a vet on a timeline that doesn't match his age. But you need someone to teach these kids how to be professionals. If the Blazers started five players under the age of 22, they’d lose by 40 every night. Grant prevents the "culture of losing" from seeping in too deep.
The Deandre Ayton Enigma
We have to talk about Deandre Ayton. The "DominAyton" moniker is something he’s tried to live up to, with varying degrees of success. When he’s locked in, he’s a walking 20 and 10 who can switch onto smaller guards and hold his own. When he’s not? He settles for mid-range jumpers and looks disinterested.
The emergence of Donovan Clingan has put some real pressure on Ayton’s spot in the Portland Trail Blazers starting lineup. Clingan brings a rim protection element that Ayton just doesn't prioritize. He’s a massive human being who changes the geometry of the court. While Ayton is the more polished offensive player, the team often looks more cohesive with Clingan’s simple, vertical gravity and shot-blocking.
Why the Rotations Feel So Random
- Injuries: It's Portland. The "Blazer Curse" is a real thing people talk about for a reason. Whether it's Sharpe’s core injuries or Simons’ hamstrings, the "ideal" lineup rarely plays together for more than ten games straight.
- Asset Management: The front office is still in "evaluation mode." They need to know which of these players are part of the long-term core and which are trade chips for the next disgruntled superstar.
- Matchups: Against bigger teams like Denver or Minnesota, Billups is forced to go big, often sliding Grant to the small forward spot and playing two centers. It’s ugly basketball, but it’s necessary for survival.
Dealing with the "Best Player" Paradox
The weirdest thing about the Blazers right now is that their "best" player on any given night might be the guy they are trying to trade. Jerami Grant is statistically the most efficient, but starting him takes minutes away from the developmental pieces. It’s a tightrope walk. If you bench the vets, you ruin the competitive environment. If you play them 40 minutes, you stunt the growth of the lottery picks.
📖 Related: Meaning of Grand Slam: Why We Use It for Tennis, Baseball, and Breakfast
Most scouts will tell you that the ceiling of this team is tied entirely to the Scoot-Shaedon partnership. If those two can’t learn to play off each other, the starting lineup will continue to be a revolving door. We've seen flashes of a "three-guard" lineup with Scoot, Ant, and Shaedon, but the defensive rating for that group is, quite frankly, terrifying. They get bullied.
What the Numbers Actually Say
If you look at the advanced tracking data from the early part of the 2025-26 season, the most effective version of the Portland Trail Blazers starting lineup actually involves a high dose of Deni Avdija at the point-forward position. It relieves the pressure on the young guards.
When Avdija initiates the offense, the turnover rate drops by nearly 15%. That’s massive for a team that often looks like they’re playing hot potato with the basketball. The coaching staff is slowly realizing that while Scoot is the "future," the "present" works better when the ball moves through multiple hands rather than just sticking with one ball-dominant guard.
The Clingan Factor
Donovan Clingan's impact on the starting unit's defense is undeniable. While Ayton provides more "talent," Clingan provides "utility."
- Rim Protection: Opponents shoot nearly 8% worse at the rim when Clingan is the primary defender compared to Ayton.
- Screen Setting: His screens are like hitting a brick wall. This gives Simons and Sharpe the extra half-second they need to launch from deep.
- Offensive Rebounding: He creates second-chance opportunities that this low-efficiency offense desperately needs.
Addressing the "Tanking" Elephant in the Room
Are they trying to win? Kinda. But they aren't devastated if they lose. The Western Conference is a bloodbath. With the Thunder, Wolves, and Mavs looking like juggernauts, Portland is playing the long game. The Portland Trail Blazers starting lineup is designed to showcase talent as much as it is to win games.
👉 See also: NFL Week 5 2025 Point Spreads: What Most People Get Wrong
This leads to some frustrating coaching decisions. You’ll see a guy get hot, score 12 points in the first quarter, and then sit for the first six minutes of the second. It feels like they are managing "vibes" as much as X's and O's. Honestly, being a Blazers fan right now requires a high tolerance for cognitive dissonance. You want the win, but you also want a top-five pick.
The Road Ahead for the Starters
The next few months are pivotal. With the trade deadline approaching, the starting lineup you see today might look completely different by February. If a team offers a haul for Grant or Simons, Cronin will almost certainly pull the trigger. That would officially signal the start of the "Youth Movement 2.0."
If that happens, expect the Portland Trail Blazers starting lineup to fully commit to the Scoot-Sharpe-Avdija-Camara-Clingan quintet. It would be fast, chaotic, and defensively versatile, even if the shooting would be suspect at best. Toumani Camara is the unsung hero here—his defensive hustle is the only thing keeping some of these games from being blowouts. He’s the type of player every winning team needs, a "junk yard dog" who does the dirty work.
How to Evaluate This Team Right Now
Don’t look at the win-loss column. It’ll just make you sad. Instead, look at the "Process Metrics."
- Is Scoot finishing at the rim through contact?
- Is Shaedon Sharpe taking more than 15 shots a game?
- Is the team defensive rating staying out of the bottom five?
These are the things that actually matter for the future of the franchise. The starting lineup is a canvas, and they are still just sketching the outlines. The colors haven't even been picked yet.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Analysts
To truly understand where this team is going, you have to watch the fourth quarter rotations. That’s where Billups reveals who he actually trusts. If you’re tracking this team, keep an eye on these specific developments:
- Watch the Assist-to-Turnover Ratio: If Scoot Henderson keeps it above 2.5:1, the Blazers are in a good spot. Anything lower, and the offense remains broken.
- Monitor the Center Minutes: If Clingan starts cutting into Ayton’s fourth-quarter minutes consistently, a trade is likely brewing.
- Focus on Corner Three Percentages: For the Portland Trail Blazers starting lineup to work, Sharpe and Avdija must hit their corner threes at a league-average clip (around 36-38%) to keep the floor spaced.
- Check the Defensive Transitions: Portland is notoriously bad at getting back after a miss. Improvements here are the quickest way to see if the young core is actually learning.
The Blazers aren't back yet. They aren't even close. But the pieces are finally on the board. Whether they fit together or just bump into each other for the next 82 games is the real story of Portland basketball right now. It's not always pretty, but it's never boring.