Hanifan's Offseason Outlook: Evaluating the Portland Trail Blazers' 2025 offseason

For our second annual offseason outlook series, Hot Hot Hoops senior writer Matt Hanifan will provide his take on the offseasons of all 30 teams for the next 30 days! We have already completed the Eastern Conference, so we will proceed in alphabetical order with the West before capping it all off with the Miami Heat. Today, we will be evaluating the Portland Trail Blazers’ offseason.

Past Previews:

Sept. 1: Atlanta Hawks
Sept. 2: Boston Ce l tics
Sept. 3: Brooklyn Nets
Sept. 4: Charlotte Hornets
Sept. 5: Chicago Bulls
Sept. 6: Cleveland Cavaliers
Sept. 7: Detroit Pistons
Sept. 8: Indiana Pacers
Sept. 9: Milwaukee Bucks
Sept. 10: New York Knicks
Sept. 11: Orlando Magic
Sept. 12: Philadelphia 76ers
Sept. 13: Toronto Raptors
Sept. 14: Washington Wizards
Sept. 15: Dallas Mavericks
Sept. 16: Denver Nuggets
Sept. 17: Golden State Warriors
Sept. 18: Houston Rockets
Sept. 19: Los Angeles Clippers
Sept. 20: Los Angeles Lakers
Sept. 21: Memphis Grizzlies
Sept. 22: Minnesota Timberwolves
Sept. 23: New Orleans Pelicans
Sept. 24: Oklahoma City Thunder
Sept. 25: Phoenix Suns

Evaluating the Portland Trail Blazers’ 2025 offseason:

Additions: Jrue Holiday, MarJon Beauchamp, Damian Lillard

Subtractions: Deandre Ayton, Anfernee Simons, Dalano Banton, Jabari Walker, Bryce McGowens

Re-signed: N/A

Draft: Yang Hansen (No. 16 overall)

Hanifan’s outlook: With his job on the line, head coach Chauncey Billups pulled out all of the levers, resulting in a 36-win season, Portland’s highest since 2020-21. It wasn’t enough to squeak into a playoff spot, but it was a step in the right direction.

Specifically, Portland established a clear identity last season behind Toumani Camara, Deni Avdija and then-rookie Donovan Clingan. It finished the year No. 16 in defense, though it was the NBA’s fourth-ranked defense post-All-Star break with the sixth-best effective field goal allowed (53.1) and second-highest opponents’ turnover percentage (16.3) over that span.

They continued to lean into that this summer, specifically by acquiring Jrue Holiday in a salary dump in exchange for Anfernee Simons, who they have been trying to move for over a year. Adding Holiday doesn’t come without controversy. He’s entering his age-35 season with north of $100 million left on his contract.

It was strange, to say the least.

What was also strange was the Milwaukee Bucks waiving-and-stretching an injured Damian Lillard for the next five years in exchange for Myles Turner. Oh, wait, we already covered that in the Bucks’ offseason review.

Dame Time is back in Portland! It didn’t work in Milwaukee. But it’s objectively cool for him to return to Portland, who rewarded him with a three-year deal and a no-trade clause, despite him being out for most, if not all of 2025-26 after rupturing his achilles last postseason.

Furthermore, I don’t understand why the Trail Blazers drafted Yang Hansen No. 16 overall. Many (myself included) heavily criticized the New Orleans Pelicans’ draft night antics, but drafting Hansen where they did was one of the worst moves of the draft.

At best, he should have been a mid-second flier. Drafting him at No. 16 when you already have Clingan, Duop Reath, Robert Williams (injured) and Camara was, and still partially is, insane to me. Hansen is an awesome passer, but is a bad shooter, middling finisher and a very questionable drop defender. I hope I’m wrong, but I don’t see it quite working in this context.

It also sucks that Scoot Henderson tore his hamstring and will miss the start of the season. I liked his improved decision-making and efficiency he showed last year. This is a huge year for him.