Damian Lillard is returning to an unrecognizable Trail Blazers lineup

Few active players are as deeply embedded in the history of their franchise as Damian Lillard is with the Portland Trail Blazers. Only 530 career points behind icon Clyde Drexler for the franchise’s top spot, Lillard has dragged the Blazers back to the playoffs time and time again until finally, a lingering abdomen injury forced him onto the sidelines at the end of 2021.

Dame’s last game of the season featured a motley crew of journeymen, ill-fitting rotation pieces and dart throws by the Blazers front office. That game featured significant minutes from Norman Powell, Larry Nance Jr., Nassir Little, Ben McLemore, Dennis Smith Jr., and Reggie Perry. Of that lineup, the only remaining player is Little—a Portland draftee who showed significant growth in 12 games after Lillard exited the lineup.

The Blazers wasted no time taking advantage of this opportunity, breaking up Lillard’s partnership with CJ McCollum in a deal that ultimately returned a jack of all trades in Josh Hart and draft compensation. The team sold off other vets to build a path forward, landing the seventh overall pick and cap flexibility for the offseason.

Damian Lillard has a whole new team to work with this season.

Portland did a nice job of capitalizing on its situation and building a deeper, more cohesive rotation around its franchise cornerstone. It’s a more defensive-minded group with established veterans and promising young talent in line for a shot at making noise in the postseason. Although none of the incoming talent is as prominent as McCollum himself, the overall lineup should benefit from improved athleticism and size.

This is crucial when building around a star guard who lacks size or stature compared to his competition. Before considering how their new and re-signed lineup fits with Damian Lillard, let’s first take a look at who these players are and what they bring to the table.

Introducing Damian Lillard’s new and improved cast of teammates.

Portland’s vision for its retooling was clear — surround Lillard with athletic, defensively versatile players while establishing a young core to establish multiple timelines. Walking the line between these two priorities is a positionless treasure in Josh Hart, a 27-year-old wing with terrific instincts and a versatile skill set. He can fit in with just about any lineup, excelling away from the ball while showing a capacity for an increase role through 13 games as a Trail Blazer.

Hart averaged a tick under 20 points along with 5.4 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 1.2 steals in 32 minutes per game with Portland. Balancing mobility and deceptive strength at 6-foot-5, Hart can absorb contact and move his feet in unison, making dribbles and drives difficult for his matchup. He’s also an underrated playmaker and outstanding rebounder, particularly for his build and position. Hart earned an A- grade or better in defensive rebounding, playmaking, finishing, and defensive role versatility last season, per Basketball Index.

Keeping in line with versatile role players who possess the talent to assume larger roles, the Trail Blazers traded a first-round pick and several seconds to Detroit in exchange for Jerami Grant. A 6-foot-8 forward who can guard all three frontcourt positions and switch onto the perimeter, Grant adds a defensive depth that Portland sorely lacked in the past.

Grant signed with Detroit to prove that he’s a dependable scoring option after years of being relegated to a 3-and-D assignment. He is likely to fall somewhere in between his past and present roles as a tertiary scoring option who thrives off the ball. Whether he’s screening, cutting, spotting up, or competing on the glass, Grant has what it takes to be a leading offensive component to this group while adding defensive grit that’s hard to come by.

Three more veteran players are expected to fill vital minutes off the bench, spearheaded by a champion guard and world-class defender, Gary Payton II. Making a return to the Pacific Northwest, ‘The Mitten’ shares his father’s tenacity when guarding the fiercest of matchups. BBall Index gave Payton an A for his on-ball perimeter defense, which is highlighted by quick hands, physical competitiveness, and undeniable hustle. The others are Justise Winslow, a once coveted prospect finding his way, and Drew  Eubanks, a Portland native and OSU basketball legend who made strides offensively with more opportunities.

Last, but certainly not least, are the youngsters. No. 7 pick Shaedon Sharpe didn’t play in his freshman season at Kentucky, forcing scouts and analysts to rely on high school footage through the draft process. A high-flyer and devastating shot creator who showcased dazzling ball-handling and deep 3-point range, Sharpe has true superstar potential—though expectations should be tempered in a bench role to begin his career.

Acquired in last year’s trade with the LA Clippers, two-guard Keon Johnson shot terribly as a rookie but earned valuable minutes through 22 games in Rip City last season. And while he isn’t likely to fill minutes, Parisian center Ismael Kamagate is a highly-regarded international center who was a lost-cost, high-reward selection in the draft.

The new lineup will mask Damian Lillard’s weaknesses & highlight his talent.

There is an argument to be made that this Portland lineup is as deep as any that Lillard has played with since LaMarcus Aldridge left town in 2015. The projected starting five of Lillard, Anfernee Simons, Hart, Grant, and Jusef Nurkic offers pristine spacing, providing the star point guard with room to get buckets or parlay the attention he draws into high-quality shots for teammates. He’ll be surrounded by players who can capitalize on those looks unlike in years past, when he and McCollum served as the primary shooting threats for their group.

It will also help push Lillard off the ball more with three other starters capable of handling the basketball in some capacity. Entering his age 32 season, Damian Lillard, who has been known for being an iron man in years past, came face to face with his career mortality for the first time. If he wants to play deep into his 30s and compete for championships, he’ll need to let others take over for spurts—ultimately giving him more opportunities to knock down jumpers without having to do the work to create them. One of the game’s most remarkable 3-point marksmen, Lillard could follow a Stephen Curry-esque mold by using off-ball motion and designed sets to queue up his signature deep bombs.

From a defensive standpoint, the Portland Trail Blazers have a more cohesive lineup and flexibility in their depth to ensure there are quick, lengthy, and reactive defenders on the court at all times. Although one more defensive-minded center off the bench could make a big difference, the team is still benefitting from legitimate improvements on the perimeter.

Portland’s defensive rating has been below league-average in each of the last four seasons, making it nearly impossible to reach true contender status. Although none of these additions are going to transform this team alone, they have a shot to make a lasting impact when put together.

Ultimately, the Portland Trail Blazers front office needed to prove its commitment to building a winning product around Damian Lillard. It’s clear based on their decisions and the available players that the franchise wasn’t willing to overpay via draft picks or massive salary commitments. However, they succeeded in making upgrades on the margins while setting themselves up for a flexible and prosperous future.

How far will Damian Lillard and this new iteration of the Blazers go? Time will tell, but at least GM Joe Cronin can say he made a genuine effort to reshape the franchise around its star. That’s more than most others in his situation can say for themselves.