Which Teams Can the Blazers Leapfrog in the West?

The Portland Trail Blazers have some good things going for them heading into the 2025-26 season.

The young roster established a defensive identity last season that it can continue to build on — bolstered by the addition of Jrue Holiday and departures of Anfernee Simons and Deandre Ayton. Deni Avdija and Toumani Camara emerged as quality building blocks who provided strong two-way play at the forward spots. And young guards Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe are hopefully in for developmental leaps this season. Plus, swapping Simons for Holiday makes for a much more complementary three-guard rotation on offense and defense.

With better roster cohesion, a stronger defense and natural internal development, the Blazers should be a better team than last year’s squad that finished No. 12 in the West with a 36-46 record. However, even when viewing things through the most optimistic lens, the Western Conference is still a juggernaut of depth.

The predicament jumped out at me as I wrote the post about John Schuhmann’s current Western Conference power rankings at NBA.com. Schuhmann also gave a pretty optimistic read of the Blazers, and still, he had them outside the play-in at No. 11. And it wasn’t like he put any egregious entries ahead of Portland in the rankings. The San Antonio Spurs, who should be much stronger next season with a healthy Victor Wembanyama and De’Aaron Fox, landed only at No. 10, illustrating the conference’s strength.

The topic brings us to today’s community discussion question: Which teams can the Blazers leapfrog in the West this year?

For context, here were last year’s Western Conference standings:

The Blazers will enter the season with goals of the playoffs or at least, the play-in. In your mind, which teams will they pass by to get there? Or do you not see it happening? Let us know in the comment section below!