Portland Trail Blazers Embrace Unconventional NBA Strategy with Six Ball-Handlers

The Portland Trail Blazers are undertaking a bold and unconventional experiment in the current NBA offseason by assembling a roster heavily focused on players who excel with the ball in their hands. This summer, Portland acquired guard Ja Morant from Memphis in exchange for Kris Murray and Jerami Grant, a move seen as unusual given the team's existing depth at the guard position. Alongside Morant, the Blazers have Damian Lillard, Scott Henderson, Shaedon Sharpe, and Deni Avdija, all players who thrive as primary ball handlers. They also signed center Brendan Carlson and attempted to add Kelly Oubre, potentially aiming for a seventh ball-handler of similar style.

Portland’s strategy diverges from the league’s prevalent "drive and kick" offense, which relies heavily on penetrating defenses to create open three-point shots. Instead, the Blazers appear to be adopting a "drive and drive" approach, emphasizing aggressive drives to the basket by multiple players rather than frequent three-point shooting. This is partly due to the team’s ongoing struggles with three-point shooting accuracy, as Morant has a career 31.1% three-point percentage, while Henderson and others hover around the mid-30s.

The plan envisions players like Avdija, Morant, and Lillard taking turns attacking the rim, drawing fouls, or collapsing defenses to create scoring opportunities. This approach could increase the team’s rate of shots at the rim, where they ranked fourth in the league last season with 35.8% of attempts at the basket. The Blazers expect to maintain defensive intensity, leveraging the versatility of players like Carlson, who is a center known for shooting more threes than two-pointers, to help with transition defense and energy conservation.

However, this strategy carries risks, especially with Lillard and Morant returning from significant injuries and potentially playing fewer than 50 games together. The team will rely on Sharpe and Henderson to sustain intensity and create quality shots for others. The success of shooters like Donovan Klingen and Tommani Kamara in hitting open shots will be critical to prevent defenses from collapsing inside. While Portland could still add a forward who can shoot and defend, the current roster construction signals a commitment to this unique, high-pressure, inside-focused offensive style.

If successful, Portland’s approach could offer a fresh challenge in the playoffs, contrasting with the league’s three-point heavy offenses. The experiment will be closely watched as the 2026-27 season approaches, with hopes that this creative strategy will enhance Deni Avdija’s development and overall team competitiveness.