Trail Blazers enter 2026-27 with new coach, Morant trade and playoff regression risk

Portland added Ja Morant, hired first-time head coach Micah Nori and brought back Damian Lillard after a chaotic run to last season's playoffs.

The Portland Trail Blazers head into the 2026-27 NBA season after one of the league's most turbulent years. The club reached the playoffs as the No. 7 seed in the Western Conference through the Play-In Tournament, finishing 42-40 before being eliminated by the San Antonio Spurs in five games in the first round.

Offseason change has been extensive. Portland traded with the Memphis Grizzlies to acquire two-time All-Star guard Ja Morant, sending out Jerami Grant and Kris Murray, while Matisse Thybulle departed in free agency. Jeremy Sochan, Micah Potter and Branden Carlson joined the roster, and Damian Lillard returns to supply perimeter shooting.

The coaching situation remains unsettled. Chauncey Billups was charged in connection with an alleged illegal gambling ring shortly after the 2025-26 season began, and interim replacement Tiago Splitter was not retained despite the playoff run. New head coach Micah Nori, previously an assistant with the Minnesota Timberwolves, was hired on a one-year contract — an unusually short deal that could leave Portland with a fourth different head coach in four seasons.

The projected starting lineup pairs Morant and Lillard in the backcourt, with Deni Avdija — a first-time All-Star last season — Toumani Camara and Donovan Clingan up front. A rotation including Scoot Henderson, Jrue Holiday and Robert Williams III backs them up.

Oddsmakers list Portland at +8000 to win the title, with a projected record of 34-48. How the season unfolds is expected to depend largely on Morant's health and fit within the offense, and on how much Lillard has left to offer.