The Portland Trail Blazers find themselves in a unique position , straddling the line between rebuilding and competing, without fully committing to either. They’ve brought back Damian Lillard for a last chapter in Rip City , traded for the championship-tested Jrue Holiday, and added Chinese phenom Yang Hansen with their 2025 lottery pick this offseason. On paper, they now have more stability, defensive grit, and veteran savvy than at any point in the post-Lillard limbo.

Yet, this is still a roster with fault lines. Portland is miles away from true title contention, and their mix of veterans and youth could pull the franchise in two different directions. If the Blazers stumble out of the gate or hover around the Play-In bubble, the front office may be forced to consider movin

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