The post-Lillard era in Portland has been anything but conventional — especially now that Damian Lillard is suddenly back in a Trail Blazers jersey after the franchise spent several years rebuilding without him.
When the team first dealt Lillard away, it marked a full pivot from years of trying (and failing) to contend with him as their centerpiece. The front office embraced the draft, gambling on high-upside prospects to reshape the roster.
The first piece was Shaedon Sharpe, taken No. 7 overall in 2022. A mystery prospect at the time, Sharpe started slowly but has since developed into a confident scorer, averaging 18.5 points on 45% shooting this past season.
In 2023, they landed Scoot Henderson at No. 3 overall — a pick some analysts called the steal of the draft after he slipped past Charlotte. While Henderson’s rookie campaign was bumpy, he closed his second season strong, averaging 14.2 points and 5.2 assists down the stretch, hinting at his star potential.
The Trail Blazers then addressed their frontcourt in back-to-back drafts:
2024: Drafted 7-footer Donovan Clingan at No. 7, a rim-protecting specialist who averaged 6.5 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks in under 20 minutes per game as a rookie.
2025: Selected Yang Hansen at No. 16, a 7-foot-1 big man with rare touch and passing skills for his size, though still a raw project.
Supporting pieces came from savvy trades, including Deni Avdija and Toumani Camara, both of whom played key roles in the team’s late push last season.
This offseason marked a dramatic shift. Portland re-acquired Jrue Holiday — a player involved in Lillard’s original exit — and then re-signed Lillard himself, signaling an end to the full-scale rebuild. The current core of Lillard, Holiday, Sharpe, Henderson, Clingan, Hansen, Avdija, and Camara gives them a mix of veteran leadership, defensive toughness, and youth with room to grow.
The Trail Blazers already defend at a high level and should only improve as their young talent matures. They still have the draft as a pipeline for future additions, but unless they get lucky in the lottery, their days at the bottom of the standings are likely over.
If you want, I can map out what Lillard’s return means tactically for this roster and how it changes the development timelines for their young core.
