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.