Portland Trail Blazers Ranked Among NBA's Most Disappointing Teams This Summer Despite Ja Morant Trade

The Portland Trail Blazers' NBA offseason has been rated as one of the league's most disappointing, placing 24th out of 30 teams in The Athletic's annual summer quality ranking. This evaluation, which measures how much teams improved compared to the previous season based on trades, signings, draft picks, coaching changes, and injury recoveries, found Portland lacking despite their high-profile acquisition of star guard Ja Morant from Memphis.

Portland also extended Robert Williams' contract, added Jeremy Sochan, Brendan Carlson, and Mika Porter, and appointed Mike Norrie as their new head coach. Damian Lillard is expected to return midseason after recovering from an Achilles tendon tear. However, analyst David Aldridge expressed concerns about the team's roster balance, particularly the defensive compatibility of Morant and Lillard playing together in the backcourt.

Norrie's hiring raised questions as well, with The Athletic noting his one-year contract as a red flag regarding owner Tom Dundon's confidence. Additionally, Dundon's public dispute with Portland city officials over funding for Moda Center renovations has reportedly damaged the team's image after recent positive momentum with fans.

Despite the low ranking, there is hope that if Morant regains his star form, Lillard returns healthy, and Danny Avdija maintains his strong performance, the Trail Blazers could outperform expectations and prove their summer moves more successful than critics suggest. The Athletic's bottom ten teams also included the New Orleans Pelicans, Milwaukee Bucks, Denver Nuggets, and Golden State Warriors.