Tiago Splitter's departure is too much for Blazers to overcome in 2026-27
Yahoo Sports senior NBA writer Dan Devine elaborates on why expectations might need to be tempered this season in Portland. Check out the full conversation on "The Big Number" and subscribe on Apple Podcasts , Spotify , YouTube or wherever you listen .
Video Transcript
Be diplomatic about this, Tom.
My first, under that I like is the Portland Trail Blazers at fif- 43.5.
I don't like some of the decisions the Portland Trail Blazers have made recently.
And so that's part of the reason I'm saying this, in a very pointed way to the people in charge in Portland.
But one of the things that- That's very kind of you to say the other reason- That's very- Well- very kind of you to say listen, you come for one of us, you come for all of us here on The Big Number.
The big number is not zero for our solidarity.
We have significantly more solidarity than zero.
But on a functional level, 43 and a half, they won 42 games last year with a negative point differential and a 40 win expectation based in large part on their defense, the way Thiago Splitter got the, the Blazers playing defense night after night, near top 10 level.
And they are bringing back a post-Achilles rupture Damian Lillard at age 36, I believe, and Ja Morant, and reportedly at least have some interest in starting them together, and that seems like a pretty difficult way to field a top 10 defense.
I expect the offense will be better, you know, with more, you know, more play making, more shooting.
I think there's an op- there is an opportunity there around Deni Avdija who had the, you know, massive breakthrough last season.
But that, the identity of that team was built off the defensive end of the floor, and I think if that's not there on a consistent basis, being a better than 500 team is gonna be awfully tough for them to come by.
