Each NBA team’s projected starting lineup for 2023–24

Projected starting lineup: Portland Trail Blazers

Point Guard: Scoot Henderson
Shooting Guard: Anfernee Simons
Small Forward: Shaedon Sharpe
Power Forward: Jeremi Grant
Center: Deandre Ayton

After most of the offseason fielding calls for star Damian Lillard, they finally moved him in a 3-team deal to the Milwaukee Bucks. It won’t necessarily affect their starting lineup much, with 2023 third-overall pick Scoot Henderson stepping in at point guard for Lillard. Meanwhile, Deandre Ayton will replace Jusuf Nurkic, and there is hope that a change of setting and less pressure on him could help the former number-one overall pick reach his full potential.

Scoot is about 14 years younger than Lillard and Ayton is four years younger than Nurkic. That will reset the Blazers’ clock and make it much easier for them to rebuild. Especially now that they could be one of the worst teams in the NBA.

They’ll have young talent with Scoot, who will have plenty of opportunities, as well as Simmons, who had a breakout year last year and will likely have free reign to bomb away from three. However, Grant, who recently signed a 5-year, $160 million contract, could be the team’s leading scorer in his absence. That likely means that the Blazers have a low ceiling for this season. But with Lillard gone, the goal should be player development and getting a high pick, not just wins.