From Laughingstock to Rising Power: The Portland Trail Blazers’ Stunning Transformation

Just 18 months ago, the Portland Trail Blazers were the punchline of the NBA. With only 21 wins, they sat dead last in the Western Conference, a franchise adrift after trading away their long-time superstar and staring down the barrel of a painful rebuild. Fast forward to today, and the Blazers have become one of the league’s most compelling stories—a team that’s not only competitive but brimming with hope, talent, and possibility.

How did Portland go from cellar dwellers to a squad with a breakout star, a top-three defense over the second half of last season, and a young core that’s finally starting to click? The answer lies in a series of bold decisions, smart player development, and a little bit of luck. Most of all, it’s the result of a culture shift that has turned the Blazers from a team everyone expected to tank into a group that refuses to accept mediocrity.

The Deni Avdija Miracle: From Bust to Franchise Cornerstone

The story of Portland’s rise begins with a player Washington gave up on. When the Blazers traded for Deni Avdija, few expected fireworks. Avdija, the ninth overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, had spent four seasons with the Wizards, showing flashes of versatility but never quite fulfilling his potential. Written off as a bust, Avdija was supposed to be a solid role player—a wing who could defend, make the right pass, and stay out of the way.

Something changed the moment he put on a Blazers jersey.

In his first season with Portland, Avdija posted career highs across the board: 16.9 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.9 assists. Promising, but not exactly star-making numbers. Then came the second half of the season. Over the Blazers’ final 41 games, Avdija erupted, averaging 22.1 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 4.7 assists as Portland surged to a 23-18 finish. Suddenly, he wasn’t just a contributor—he was the engine driving the team.

This season, Avdija has taken his game to another level. Through the first third of the season, he’s averaging 25.8 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 6.2 assists per game, shooting 47.4% from the field with a true shooting percentage of 63.7%—eighth in the league among high-volume scorers. His net on-off rating is a staggering +19.7, and he ranks third in the NBA in plus-minus, trailing only Giannis Antetokounmpo and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

The milestones keep coming. Against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Avdija recorded a 31-point triple-double with 19 rebounds and 10 assists, becoming the first Israeli player in NBA history to post such a stat line. Over his last five games, he’s averaged 31 points, 10 rebounds, and 9.2 assists—a stretch that signals not just a breakout, but the birth of a bona fide star.

For perspective, consider Damian Lillard’s age-25 season—the campaign that vaulted him to All-Star status and eighth in MVP voting. Lillard averaged 25.1 points, four rebounds, and 6.3 assists. Avdija, at just 24, is matching those numbers and, unlike Dame in 2016, he’s got help. Portland didn’t just stumble into a star; they built a system around Avdija, surrounding him with complementary pieces and giving him the freedom to become what Washington never believed he could be.

Building Around Avdija: The Rise of Donovan Klingan

Avdija’s emergence didn’t happen in a vacuum. The Blazers have constructed a roster that maximizes his strengths, starting with a 7-foot-2 monster rewriting the rules of rim protection.

Many mock drafts had Donovan Klingan going in the top three. The UConn product, a two-time national champion, was a dominant rim protector with old-school post skills and relentless energy. Teams at the top needed a center, and Klingan was expected to be off the board before Portland’s pick. But when he slid to seventh, the Blazers pounced.

Early returns were mixed. Klingan began his rookie season buried behind DeAndre Ayton and Robert Williams III, with inconsistent minutes and an uncertain role. But everything changed on February 10th. In a blowout loss to Denver, Klingan came off the bench and dropped 21 points and seven rebounds in just 21 minutes. The next game, he was in the starting lineup—and he never looked back.

Klingan started the final 27 games of his rookie season, averaging 8.8 points, 9.9 rebounds, 1.8 blocks, and 1.8 assists in just 25.3 minutes per game. He didn’t just earn the starting job; he made it impossible to take away. This season, he’s been even better, averaging a double-double (10 points, 10.2 rebounds) while swatting 1.7 blocks per night. He ranks second in the NBA in offensive rebounds, grabbing 4.6 per game—just behind Steven Adams.

Klingan’s offensive rebounding is single-handedly keeping Portland in games they have no business winning. Against Chicago, he grabbed 10 offensive boards, creating 15 second-chance points in a one-possession win. On defense, he’s transformed the team. Last season, Portland finished with a top-three defensive rating over their final 41 games, thanks in large part to Klingan’s rim protection. He led the league in contested shots per 36 minutes (17.6) and finished fifth in blocks per game.

When Klingan is on the floor, drivers think twice, floaters get altered, and easy buckets disappear. At just 21 years old, he’s already one of the most impactful big men in the league—and he’s only scratching the surface.

Depth and Development: The Supporting Cast Steps Up

Portland’s resurgence isn’t just about stars; it’s about depth and smart roster construction. The front office made calculated moves, trading Anfernee Simons for a two-time champion, buying out Ayton to clear the path for Klingan, and bringing Damian Lillard home. Every decision had a purpose, and now the results are showing.

Shaden Sharp: The $90 Million Sixth Man

The seventh overall pick in 2022, Shaden Sharp was one of the biggest mysteries in draft history. He committed to Kentucky but never played a game, yet still went in the top ten based on pure potential. Three years later, Portland locked him into a four-year, $90 million extension—and it’s easy to see why.

Sharp is averaging 21.3 points per game this season, and he’s doing it off the bench. That’s right—the Blazers have a $90 million sixth man dropping 21 points a night. He recently exploded for 35 against New Orleans and regularly plays 30+ minutes while maintaining his bench role. At just 22, Sharp is already in elite company, one of only four teenagers ever to record 30 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists in a game—the others being LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Luka Dončić.

Drew Holiday: Championship DNA

When Portland traded for Drew Holiday this summer, most assumed he’d be a veteran mentor, a steady hand to guide the young guys. Instead, Holiday is having one of the best offensive seasons of his career, averaging 16.7 points and 8.3 assists per game, shooting 38.2% from three on a career-high attempt rate. Over his last few games, he’s posted 27, 24, and 22 points on elite efficiency.

Holiday’s championship pedigree—two rings, six All-Defensive selections—brings invaluable experience to a young roster. His presence has elevated everyone around him, providing leadership and stability in close games and playoff races.

Jeremy Grant, Tumani Kamara, and Robert Williams III

Jeremy Grant has found new life as a super sixth man, leading the league in bench scoring. Tumani Kamara is an All-Defensive caliber forward who terrorizes opposing wings. Robert Williams III recently put up 14 rebounds and five blocks in a spot start when Klingan was sidelined. This is not a team with one or two good players surrounded by filler; it’s a roster with legitimate options at every position.

The X-Factors: Scoot Henderson and the Future

Portland’s depth extends even further. Scoot Henderson, the third overall pick in 2023, is recovering from a hamstring injury but showed flashes of stardom before going down, including a 39-point eruption and averaging 14.2 points over his final 35 games last season. Yang Hansen, the intriguing 7-foot center drafted 16th, is waiting for his opportunity. And Damian Lillard, the franchise’s all-time leading scorer, is rehabbing an Achilles injury, signed and ready for 2026-27.

This team isn’t at full strength, and they’re already causing problems. But none of it matters if they can’t put it all together.

The Challenges: Shooting Woes and Coaching Instability

Let’s be clear: Portland is 9-15 right now. They’re not a contender, not even a playoff team yet. The rotation is still in flux, and interim coach Thiago Splitter is filling in after Chauncey Billups was placed on leave in October. There’s been chaos behind the scenes, and real questions remain.

The biggest issue? Shooting. Portland ranks dead last in three-point percentage at 33%. In an era where spacing and floor stretching define championship offenses, the Blazers are bricking threes at a historically bad rate. It’s costing them games, as close losses pile up when open looks don’t fall. The defense can only hold so long before the offense needs to convert.

Their defensive rating has slipped to 22nd in the league—a regression from the top-three unit they fielded over the second half of last season. Coaching instability always creates uncertainty, no matter how talented the roster.

The Flip Side: Room to Grow

But here’s the flip side. If Portland is this competitive while shooting 33% from three, imagine what happens when those shots start falling. Avdija is playing at an All-Star level. If he maintains this trajectory, the Blazers have a legitimate franchise cornerstone locked in for years. Klingan is 21 and already one of the most impactful defensive centers in the league. If he keeps developing, they’ve got an elite two-way anchor. Sharp is dropping 21 off the bench; if his efficiency improves even slightly, he could be a 25-point scorer in his prime.

Scoot Henderson showed flashes of brilliance before his injury. When he returns healthy, the backcourt gets dangerous. Holiday brings championship DNA, and Lillard is coming back next season. By 2026-27, Portland could have Dame, Avdija, Klingan, Sharp, and a healthy Henderson all on the same roster.

If everything clicks—and that’s a big if—Portland has a legitimate path to the play-in this season, and by next year, they could be fighting for a real playoff spot.

The Big Picture: Portland’s Identity and Ambition

Here’s the context that matters. Portland hasn’t made the playoffs since 2021—four straight years of lottery picks, four straight years of rebuild mode. The franchise bottomed out, traded away its franchise player, and started over from scratch.

But this isn’t the same team that dealt Lillard. This is a franchise with an identity, a rising star, a defensive anchor, and a young core that’s finally starting to believe in something. The Western Conference is brutal—the Thunder, Rockets, Lakers, Nuggets aren’t going anywhere. But for the first time in years, Portland isn’t just hoping to improve. They’re expecting to compete.

Looking Ahead: Ceiling and Expectations

A year and a half ago, this franchise was dead last in the West. No stars, no hope, no path forward. Today, Deni Avdija is putting up All-Star numbers. Donovan Klingan is anchoring the defense. Shaden Sharp is a $90 million sixth man, and the rest of the young core is only getting better.

This is not the same Portland Trail Blazers. This is a team that found something in the wreckage of a rebuild. The rest of the NBA is about to find out what that means.

Final Thoughts: Can Portland Build a Contender?

The only question now is how far Portland can go. Can Avdija make an All-Star team? Can Klingan become an elite defensive anchor? Will Sharp and Henderson develop into stars? Can the Blazers overcome their shooting woes and coaching instability to become a playoff fixture in the West?

It’s too soon to say, but one thing is clear: Portland has turned the page. The Trail Blazers are no longer a laughingstock. They’re a team on the rise, with a young core, a new identity, and a future worth watching..