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Fantasy Basketball Exit Interview: Trail Blazers' playoff run is over, where do they go from here?
The Trail Blazers got bounced in five games by the Spurs, but don't let the first-round exit fool you Portland is a team trending upward with real fantasy assets worth targeting. For fantasy basketball managers, understanding how the team performed is valuable. Whether you're running a dynasty squad or prepping for the next draft season, these insights matter. Lets recap the Trail Blazers season and look ahead to 2026-27. The All-Star: Deni AvdijaAvdija had a career year, averaging 24.2 points, 6.9 rebounds and 6.7 assists per game. His usage rate hit nearly 30%, resulting in elite volume that earned him a 12th-place finish in High Score fantasy points per game. But in 9-cat leagues? Eighth-round value. The culprit is turnovers Avdija tied the league lead in turnovers per 36 minutes at 4.1 and his stocks are limited for a player with so much floor time and usage. In points leagues, he's an easy early-round pick for the raw counting stats, but know your format before drafting him.The supporting cast and backcourt watchDonovan Clingan was one of the best young big men in fantasy this season. He averaged a double-double while finishing fifth in blocks per game at 1.7. His ADP is going up next year after closing as a fourth-round value in 9-cat formats. Thats a bit too high for me, but Id be down after Round 5.Scoot Henderson is the most intriguing name coming out of Portland. He missed the first 52 games with a hamstring tear before catching fire late. His 31-point, 11-of-17 performance in Game 2 against the Spurs made him the youngest Trail Blazer to score 30 in a playoff game. It looks like having Jrue Holiday and Damian Lillard around is helping his game. Thats great for his long-term outlook. However, we cant forget about Dame. He missed the entire season recovering from a torn Achilles. But hes returning next season, so seeing how this backcourt unfolds will determine Henderson's fantasy value.The misses worth learning fromShaedon Sharpe was the biggest fantasy miss. Carrying an ADP at 83rd overall in the preseason, he finished 161st despite dropping a career-best 20.8 points and 1.4 steals per game. A calf strain that revealed a stress reaction in his left fibula limited him to just 50 games. Plus, turnovers were costly mistakes that didnt offset his assist rate. Hell need to prove he can stay healthy before picking him before the 10th round.Holiday was drafted 105th and finished 110th a slight miss, as calf issues trimmed his assist and steal production. He remains a good player, but hes declining from a fantasy perspective.Toumani Camara finished about 20 spots below his ADP of 111, landing 131st in 9-cat. The encouraging sign is real improvement as a 3-point shooter, adding to his defensive strengths.Final thoughtsWith no first-round pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, the Trail Blazers (under new, cheap ownership) have their primary rotational players under contract heading into the 2026-27 season. They have flippable contracts on their books if they decide to make moves. Either way, this is a team that showed plenty of opportunity in fantasy and put together their first winning season since 2020-2021.
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