Deni Avdija, for your information: "Portland is among the 10 most disappointing teams of the summer in the NBA"

The addition of Ja Morant was one of the most intriguing moves of the summer in the NBA, but according to The Athletic, it was not enough to make the Portland offseason a success. In the sports website's annual ranking, which examines which team improved the most compared to the previous season, Portland was ranked only 24th out of 30 teams — meaning it is among the ten teams with the most disappointing summer in the league. It is important to emphasize that this is a ranking of "offseason quality" and not a power ranking of the league. The Athletic examined all the moves made by the clubs — trades, signings, draft picks, contract extensions, changes in the professional staff, and returns from injuries — in order to determine whether each team is better than it was at the end of last season.

Apparently, Portland had reason for optimism. The club completed the big trade with Memphis and added Ja Morant, one of the biggest stars in the league, in the hope of making him the new face of the project. In addition, the Blazers extended the contract of Robert Williams, added Jeremy Sochan, Branden Carlson, and Micah Potter, and appointed Micah Nori as the new head coach. At the same time, Damian Lillard is expected to return during the season after recovering from an Achilles tendon tear.

However, according to senior analyst David Aldridge, the questions surrounding the roster outweigh the bright spots. In the published analysis, it is argued that the gamble on Morant is logical, but it is not at all certain that he and Lillard can play together effectively, especially on the defensive end. The fear is that a backcourt including two dominant guards will struggle to provide defense at the level required to compete at the top of the West.

The appointment of the new coach also raised questions. The Athletic noted that Nori is considered a high-quality coach professionally and has the ability to manage a locker room, but the fact that he received a contract for only one season is, according to the author, a "red flag" regarding the level of trust that the new owner Tom Dundon has in him.

The criticism does not end on the court. Aldridge also addresses Dundon's conduct with the Portland city government regarding the funding of the renovation of the Moda Center arena, and argues that the public struggle harms the club's image just as it began to regain positive momentum among fans last season.

Despite the low ranking, Portland will hope that reality will be different. If Morant returns to the ability that made him one of the biggest stars in the league, Lillard returns healthy from the injury, and Deni Avdija continues his crazy form from last year, the Blazers may surprise and prove that their summer was much more successful than it looks on paper.

Full ranking (places 30-21):