Blazers projected lineup and rotations heading into 2023-24 season

Portland Trail Blazers starting center: Jusuf Nurkic

Jusuf Nurkic's days in Portland are numbered. He has three years and roughly $53 million left on his contract — not exactly easy-to-swallow trade bait for opposing front offices — but the Blazers are quickly approaching a rebuild and Nurkic is quickly losing effectiveness. The Bosnian Beast didn't look his typical beastly self last season, struggling to defend in space and getting played off the floor in important moments.

Portland's best center last season was Drew Eubanks. Tenure and contract kept Nurkic tethered to the starting role and 26.8 minutes per game, but the Blazers regularly went to Eubanks in closing lineups. It's probably too early to claim the 29-year-old Nurkic is over the hill, but injuries have taken a clear toll and the style of today's game doesn't always favor his specific approach.

Nurkic's season wasn't a complete bust. He still averaged 13.3 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 2.9 assists on .519/.361/.661 splits. He averaged 2.3 attempts per game from 3-point range, a new high-water mark for his career. Nurkic is making attempts to modernize and he's a nifty passer for his position, offering utility beyond the brute-force benefits of his strength in the paint.

That said, the defense is an increasingly major concern. Not long ago, Nurkic could have been appropriately considered one of the best, most underrated defensive anchors in basketball. Not last season. He's still a hulking 6-foot-11, 290-pound presence in the paint, but he's easily exploited when forced to defend outside the restricted area.

Primary backup center: Jerami Grant

It's hard to imagine the Blazers not looking to add another center to the roster before the regular season starts. Eubanks left in free agency and wasn't really replaced. Portland has two unproven bigs on two-way contracts — John Butler Jr. and Ibou Badji — but neither should be penciled into significant minutes, even if the Blazers embrace the tank. Grant is big and rangy enough to moonlight as a small-ball five.

Other players who could receive minutes at center: Jabari Walker, John Butler Jr., Ibou Badji

Jabari Walker is another strong candidate to eat backup center minutes if Portland enters the season without signing or trading for another big. He's 6-foot-9 with broad shoulders, flashes of 3-point shooting, and a physical driving style. He's more four than five, but the Blazers are short on options right now and Walker has experience with the team.