The Rip City rebuild is in that weird teenage phase. You know the one. It’s awkward, a bit unpredictable, and nobody is quite sure who’s supposed to be leading the pack on any given night. If you’ve spent any time looking at the depth chart Portland Trail Blazers fans are obsessing over lately, you realize it’s less of a steady ladder and more of a high-stakes musical chairs game played by guys under 23.
Chauncey Billups has a puzzle on his hands. It’s not just about winning games—though the fans at the Moda Center would certainly appreciate more of those—it’s about figuring out which of these young pieces actually fit together before the front office has to make some expensive, permanent decisions.
The Guard Logjam: Scoot, Sharpe, and the Simons Dilemma
Let’s talk about the elephant in the room. Or rather, the three high-usage guards in the room.
Anfernee Simons is technically the "veteran" here, which is hilarious because he still looks like he’s 19. But in NBA years, he’s the established bucket-getter. When you look at the depth chart Portland Trail Blazers rotations, Simons is usually the first name at shooting guard, but he’s constantly sliding over to handle the rock. He’s a flamethrower. We know this. But can he coexist with Scoot Henderson? That’s the $100 million question.
Scoot is a powerhouse. He’s built like a linebacker and plays with a frightening level of intensity. His rookie year was a rollercoaster—plenty of "oh no" turnovers followed by "oh my god" passes that only a few humans on earth can make. Right now, he’s fighting for those primary ball-handling minutes. If Scoot is the future, Simons might eventually be the trade bait. It’s harsh, but that’s the business.
Then there’s Shaedon Sharpe.
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If you aren't watching Sharpe, you're missing out on the most effortless verticality in the league. He’s the wildcard. He can play the two or the three, and his ceiling is arguably higher than anyone else on the roster. When he’s aggressive, he looks like a future All-Star. When he’s passive, he disappears into the corner. His place on the depth chart is essentially "wherever we can fit him to get 30 minutes."
The Frontcourt: Deandre Ayton and the Clingan Factor
Moving to the bigs, things get even more interesting. Deandre Ayton arrived with a lot of "DominAyton" talk. Has he lived up to it? Sometimes. He’s a walking double-double, and his mid-range jumper is a lot smoother than people give him credit for. He’s the starting center. Period.
But wait.
The Blazers went out and grabbed Donovan Clingan in the draft. Clingan is a massive human being. He’s a rim protector in the purest sense of the word. While Ayton likes to float and use his touch, Clingan wants to anchor the paint and erase mistakes. This creates a fascinating dynamic for the depth chart Portland Trail Blazers coaching staff. Do you play them together? In the modern NBA, that’s risky. It’s slow. It kills spacing.
Most likely, Clingan eats into those backup minutes while slowly proving he’s the defensive identity this team has lacked since, well, forever. Behind them, you’ve got Robert Williams III—the "Time Lord." When he’s healthy, he’s one of the most impactful defenders in basketball. The problem is "when he’s healthy" is a phrase that carries a lot of weight in Portland. He’s a luxury piece right now, a defensive spark plug if his knees allow it.
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The Wings: Jerami Grant and the "Trade Value" Watch
Jerami Grant is the professional in the room. He’s the guy who just goes out, gives you 20 points, guards the opposing team’s best player, and doesn't complain. On paper, he’s the starting small forward or power forward depending on the lineup.
But let’s be real. Grant is almost too good for where the Blazers are in their cycle. Every contender in the league wants a Jerami Grant. Because of that, his spot on the depth chart feels temporary. If the Blazers are sitting ten games under .500 at the deadline, don't be surprised if that wing spot opens up for someone like Toumani Camara.
Speaking of Camara, he’s a find. A second-round steal who plays like his life depends on every defensive rotation. He’s the kind of player fans love—gritty, annoying to play against, and completely selfless. He’s carved out a role as the primary defensive stopper, often starting just to take the toughest assignment away from the young guards.
Deni Avdija: The Swiss Army Knife
The addition of Deni Avdija was a masterstroke by Joe Cronin. He’s exactly what this depth chart Portland Trail Blazers roster needed: a connector. He doesn't need to take 20 shots to be effective. He can rebound, he can push the pace, and he’s an underrated playmaker.
Deni likely slots in as a starting forward. His presence allows Scoot and Simons to focus on scoring while he handles the "dirty work" of playmaking and rebounding. He’s the glue. Every young team needs a guy who understands the game at a high level and doesn't care about his PPG.
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How the Minutes Actually Break Down
It’s easy to list names, but how does this actually work on a Tuesday night in November?
- Point Guard: Scoot Henderson gets the keys, but Simons handles a lot of the late-game creation. Dalano Banton is the chaos factor off the bench—he’s tall, fast, and plays with zero fear.
- Shooting Guard: Anfernee Simons starts here, but expect Shaedon Sharpe to play heavy minutes at both wing spots.
- Small Forward: Deni Avdija or Jerami Grant. This is where the Blazers have the most size and versatility.
- Power Forward: Jerami Grant. If he’s traded, this becomes a wide-open audition for Jabari Walker and Toumani Camara.
- Center: Deandre Ayton starts. Donovan Clingan is the primary backup. Duop Reath is the "break glass in case of injury" option who can actually shoot the three.
The Hidden Complexity of the Portland Rebuild
Portland isn't just trying to find talent; they’re trying to find chemistry.
The biggest issue with the current depth chart Portland Trail Blazers configuration is the lack of veteran leadership in the second unit. When the starters sit, things can get messy fast. That’s where guys like Matisse Thybulle come in. Thybulle is a defensive specialist who can change a game with two steals in thirty seconds. But his lack of offensive gravity makes him hard to play for long stretches.
The Blazers are also balancing the development of Jabari Walker. He’s a high-motor guy who gets every 50/50 ball. In a vacuum, he deserves 20 minutes a night. In this crowded frontcourt? He has to fight for every second.
What This Means for the Future
The Blazers are in a "talent accumulation" phase. You don't worry about the fit when you're at the bottom; you just get the best players possible. But eventually, you have to pivot.
The center position is the most stable it’s been in years. Having Ayton and Clingan is a massive win. The guard rotation, however, is a ticking time bomb of talent. You can't start three guards who all need the ball. At some point, the depth chart Portland Trail Blazers fans see today will have to be trimmed.
If you're betting on the future, keep your eyes on the Scoot-Sharpe-Avdija-Clingan core. That’s the vision. Everything else—Simons, Grant, Williams—is likely fluid. It’s a transition period, and while it might be frustrating to watch the Blazers drop close games, the flashes of brilliance from the young core are real.
Actionable Takeaways for Following the Blazers
- Watch the fourth-quarter lineups: Who Billups puts on the floor in the final five minutes tells you who he actually trusts, regardless of who "started" the game.
- Track the Ayton/Clingan minutes: If the Blazers start experimenting with them on the floor at the same time, it signals a massive shift in their defensive philosophy.
- Keep an eye on the trade deadline: The depth chart you see in October will almost certainly not be the one you see in March. Veterans like Grant and Simons are high-value assets for teams looking to make a playoff push.
- Focus on the defensive rating: Winning games is secondary to seeing if this young group can actually stop anyone. If Camara and Clingan can lift the team out of the bottom tier of defense, the rebuild is ahead of schedule.