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Team Profile
Portland Trail Blazers: Five things you need to know
Bill Walton led the Portland Trail Blazers to their only NBA championship
- 1977 NBA Champions led by Bill Walton
- Home to legendary guards like Clyde Drexler and Damian Lillard
- Known for passionate fanbase and "Rip City" identity
The Portland Trail Blazers have become a staple NBA franchise, responsible for representing America’s Pacific Northwest.
The Trail Blazers wrote their names into NBA history when legendary centre Bill Walton led them to a championship in 1977, outclassing the Philadelphia 76ers in six games. Portland has cultivated a strong identity as one of the NBA’s most competitive franchises since 1970, with their playoff qualification record a real highlight of their achievements.
The Blazers 2025-26 campaign has been thrown into disarray after head coach, 2004 NBA Champion and Finals MVP and Hall of Famer Chauncey Billups was stunningly arrested in late October and charged "over schemes to rig illegal poker games".
Billups, 49, is one of 31 men (some with links to the Mafia), along with former NBA player Damon Jones, 49, charged after "a seven-count indictment was unsealed charging 31 defendants in criminal schemes to rig illegal poker games at various locations in New York City, East Hampton, New York, and throughout the United States," the FBI said.
Assistant Tiago Splitter has taken over as interim head coach of the Blazers.
2024-25 NBA Season Summary
- Record: 36-46
- Finish: 12th seed
- All-Star Selections: Nil
The Portland Trail Blazers came into the 2024/25 season with the expectation of raising their standard of basketball with the young core they assembled throughout their rebuild. Improving their record by 15 wins in 2025, the Trail Blazers took a leap in the right direction, with the games of Anfernee Simons, Shaedon Sharpe, and Deni Avdija coming to fruition. Their 36-46 record represented the franchise’s best return in coach Chauncey Billups tenure. Despite accumulating the fourth straight season without playoff basketball, the 2025 season represented a decent building block for the Blazers moving forward.
Offseason Moves
Additions
- Jrue Holiday joins via trade with Celtics
- Damian Lillard agrees to 3-year deal
- Blake Wesley agrees to 1-year deal
Departures
- Deandre Ayton departs via buyout, signs with Lakers
- Anfernee Simons departs via trade with Celtics
The Portland Trail Blazers had one of the more intriguing off seasons, with some questioning the intent behind the front office opting to let go of their brightest youngster Anfernee Simons. Getting Jrue Holiday in return is by no means a losing deal. But what it does mean is the Blazers gave up their star scorer for an ageing guard whose offensive output has declined but whose defence and leadership could bring a significant amount of upside to the Blazers in 2025-26. What's interesting was that it was the Blazer’s offence in need of a fortifying not so much their defence, highlighted in their 23-18 run to end the season, during which their defensive performances were immense.
The Blazers brought back franchise legend Damian Lillard on a three-year-deal, with the 35-year-old expected to spend his first year rehabbing his torn Achilles. The deal, just like Jrue Holiday's, demonstrates a philosophy tailored to inserting more veteran experience and leadership in the Blazers roster which has no shortage of young talent. This approach allows the Blazers to build a more well-rounded roster that is equipped to make an instant impact and build a platform on which youngsters can develop.
The departure of big man DeAndre Ayton opens the opportunities for the likes of Robert Williams III, Duop Reath, and Donovan Clingan and Yang Hansen to be promoted into the starting centre position. Yang Hansen in particular has dominated the spotlight this offseason, being selected at 16 in this year's draft, Hansen’s summer league performance offered some insight into his multi-layered game. Coach Chauncey Billups has a big decision ahead of him, but one thing is for sure, this Trail Blazers offseason has encapsulated the Blazers vision for the next few years.
2025-26 Predicted Lineup
- Point Guard: Jrue Holiday
- Shooting Guard: Shaedon Sharpe
- Small Forward: Toumani Camara
- Power Forward: Deni Avdija
- Centre: Donovan Clingan
Australians who have played for the Portland Trailblazers
Matisse Thybulle: Born in Scottsdale, Arizona, Thybulle holds dual American Australian citizenship and spent part of his childhood in Sydney. He was traded to the Trail Blazers in February 2023 and has been recognised for his exceptional defensive abilities, earning NBA All-Defensive Second Team honours in 2021 and 2022. Thybulle has also represented Australia in international competitions, including the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
Duop Reath: Born in Waat, South Sudan, Reath moved to Australia at the age of nine. He signed with the Trail Blazers in 2023 and has become a reliable rotation player, averaging 9.4 points and 4.0 rebounds per game in the 2024 NBA season. Reath has also represented Australia in international competitions, including the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
Patty Mills: Born in Canberra, Mills was drafted by the Portland Trail Blazers with the 55th pick in the 2009 NBA Draft out of Saint Mary's. Mills played for the Blazers from 2009 to 2011. He returned to Australia to play for the Melbourne Tigers during the NBA lock-out and signed with the San Antonio Spurs in 2012.
History of the Portland Trail Blazers
Since entering the NBA as an expansion team in 1970, the Portland Trail Blazers have been a huge success. In 1977, the Bill Walton led Trail Blazers side not only secured their first playoff berth but also brought home an NBA Championship. Securing a championship in the infancy of their existence was a huge feat that was capped off with the franchise selling out 814 consecutive home games, which was an American sports record at the time.
From 1983 to 2003, the Trail Blazers streak of 21 consecutive playoff qualifications remains the second longest streak in NBA history. In their historic run, the Trail Blazers spearheaded by franchise legend Clyde Drexler secured two NBA Finals appearances where they unfortunately fell to the Detroit Pistons and the Chicago Bulls.
Since then, the Portland Trail Blazers have continued to cultivate their status as a perennial playoff team, with iconic figures including Brandon Roy, LaMarcus Aldridge, and Damian Lillard all contributing crucially throughout the 21st century.
When it comes to consistency and competitiveness, the Blazers record of 37 total qualifications to the playoffs, ranks fourth behind the Lakers, Celtics and Spurs since 1970. The Trail Blazers have built a distinguished reputation as one of the most successful and competitive expansion teams both on and off the court.
Identity
The Trail Blazers have long embraced a team-first philosophy focused on unselfish play and strong defence. Their playing style has evolved over eras but often features dynamic guard play. The club culture revolves around the passionate "Rip City" fanbase and Portland's underdog mentality. As of recent, the Portland Trail Blazers under coach Chauncey Billups have showcased a high-quality product on defence, but their offence has lacked quality and continues to search for an offensive juggernaut who can spark their offence.
Five Fast Facts
- The Trail Blazers name was chosen from over 10,000 entries in a fan contest
- Portland has made the playoffs 37 times in 55 seasons
- The team sold out 814 consecutive home games from 1977-1995
- Six Hall of Famers have played for the Blazers
- Damian Lillard is the franchise's all-time leading scorer
Club Timeline
1970: Franchise founded as an expansion team
1977: Win NBA championship led by Bill Walton
1990: Reach NBA Finals, losing to Pistons
1992: Return to NBA Finals, fall to Jordan's Bulls
2012: Draft Damian Lillard, ushering in new era
The Portland Trail Blazers head into the 2025-26 season ready to take another leap. With a talented young core and a veteran presence, the Trail Blazers are already proving their defensive maturity, but it is their offence that needs a makeover with their top scorer Anfernee Simons departing.
The Blazers have a decent chance to contend for a play-in spot this season, but their limited offensive firepower could prove to be a major obstacle in their push for a playoff berth.
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