Blazers projected lineup and rotations heading into 2023-24 season
Portland Trail Blazers starting power forward: Jerami Grant
The Blazers handed Jerami Grant a massive five-year, $160 million contract early in free agency. That came as a shock to everyone. It's clear Portland was trying to convince Dame to stick around with splashy moves, but re-signing Grant for a king's ransom evidently didn't do the trick. Now, Grant will start the eventual non-Dame era as Portland's highest-paid player.
Grant has prioritized money over winning before with the Pistons. There's nothing wrong with that. The man got his bag, and that's good for him. Grant plays both ends of the floor and he has prior experience as 'the guy' in a rebuilding situation. It won't be quite the same in Portland — Scoot, Simons, and Sharpe are all very talented and could soon surpass Grant in the hierarchy of NBA stardom — but Grant will show up to work and produce. Will he play up to that contract? Probably not, but think of him as a slightly superior version of Tobias Harris in Philadelphia. There's honor in that.
At 6-foot-8, Grant will essentially function as the Blazers' defensive anchor. With a number of holes on the perimeter and a rapidly aging man in the middle in Jusuf Nurkic, the Blazers will rely extensively on Grant's ability to cover ground. He's a genuine five-position defender, capable of sliding his feet with guards on the perimeter or using his 7-foot-3 wingspan to deter shots in the paint.
On the offensive end, Grant is more productive than he gets credit for. He averaged 20.5 points on .474/.401/.813 splits in 35.7 minutes last season. He doesn't offer much as a passer, but Grant spaces the floor, moves without the ball, and attacks off the catch with regular success.
Primary backup power forward: Kris Murray
The Blazers selected Kris Murray — twin brother of Kings All-Rookie forward Keegan Murray — with the No. 23 pick in June's NBA Draft. It's not terribly common for rookies at the back end of the first round to become immediate rotation staples, but Murray is already 23 years old and the Blazers are fast-tracking a rebuild in the near future. Expect him to get minutes in a relatively shallow frontcourt.
Murray's appeal is similar to his brother's on the surface. He's 6-foot-8 with smooth 3-point mechanics, strong role player instincts, and a desire to compete. He's not the most versatile athlete, but Murray can defend his position. On the offensive end, he's going to provide value as a spacer, cutter, and generally high-I.Q. connector. He doesn't have the same dynamism as his brother off the dribble, but Portland won't want Murray freestyling very often anyway.
Other players who could receive minutes at power forward: Jabari Walker, Nassir Little, Matisse Thybulle