The Portland Trail Blazers reworked their roster going into the 2026-27 season. The move adds intriguing depth and a new-look frontcourt fans have been waiting for.
Uncertainty surrounded Portland’s starting lineup. A room full of guards, including Damian Lillard, Jrue Holiday, and Ja Morant, left first-year head coach Micah Nori with no choice but to bench one.
NBA insider Chris Haynes said Morant will start. With this news, it appears that Jrue Holiday will fill the sixth-man role.
Let’s take a look at the highly anticipated Trail Blazers starting lineup for Wednesday’s season opener against the Phoenix Suns.
PG, Damian Lillard
The last time the NBA saw Damian Lillard play was in the first round of the 2025 playoffs. While with the Milwaukee Bucks, Lillard suffered a torn left Achilles tendon. Milwaukee waived the nine-time All-Star later that summer.
Lillard became a free agent, leading to his return to the franchise where he spent his first 11 years in the NBA: the Portland Trail Blazers. The deal includes $41.6 million over three years.
The 36-year-old, after 18 months of recovery from the Achilles tear, will be making his long-awaited return to the Blazers lineup for the first time since 2023.
SG, Ja Morant
27-year-old Ja Morant joins the Trail Blazers franchise after an ugly falling out with the Memphis Grizzlies in 2025-26. Memphis would go on to trade Morant in exchange for Jerami Grant and Kris Murray in late June.
With a contract that pays Morant over $40 million a year through 2027-28, Portland has high hopes for the two-time All-Star. It will be interesting to see how the Blazers pair Lillard and Morant.
The pair started together in Portland’s preseason closer on Oct. 16. Morant would finish with 19 points and three assists in 27 minutes. Lillard numbers included 23 points and three assists across 26 minutes.
Don’t forget about Jrue Holiday as an option at the one or two for the Blazers this season. In his first year with the franchise, Holiday was as consistent as he’s been for his entire career.
SF, Toumani Camara
Portland’s defensive workhorse, Toumani Camara continues to improve year after year. The 26-year-old was left off All-Defensive Teams last season after earning honors in 2024-25, but his offensive game improved.
Camara played in all 82 games last season and averaged 13.4 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.1 steals per game. Portland will rely on his defense again this season.
PF, Deni Avdija
The biggest surprise to come out of Portland in 2025-26 was Deni Avdija’s breakout. The 27-year-old led the Trail Blazers in scoring last season and earned his first All-Star bid, becoming the first Israeli-born player to do so in NBA history.
It will be interesting to watch how Avdija converts his game alongside Damian Lillard and Ja Morant. His scoring numbers may drop, but the goal is to turn this new-look roster into more wins this season.
C, Donovan Clingan
The Trail Blazers’ paint beast, Donovan Clingan, will finish off the franchise’s starting lineup this season. The Blazers committed to the 2024 No. 7 overall pick after moving on from Deandre Ayton in the 2025 summer.
He will likely share minutes at center with Robert Williams, but both can block shots and grab rebounds at an impressive rate.
After Clingan took the full-time starting center role in 2025-26, he averaged 12.1 points, 11.6 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks per game. Expect more improvement from the 7-foot-2, 22-year-old this season.
Trail Blazers’ Anticipated Starting Lineup for Season-Opener vs. Suns