Portland Trail Blazers Roster
- Western Northwest
- Stadium
- Moda Center
Portland Trail Blazers forward Josh Hart will be returning for at least one more season. This wasn't a hard call for the organization with Hart only owed $12.9 million for the 2022-2023 campaign. Hart also has a mutual option for the following season, which means he could be in Portland for the next two years. The expectation is that Hart is going to play significant minutes on the rebuilding Blazers roster. He should be able to carry reliable fantasy value, assuming he can actually stay healthy.
The Pistons have traded forward Jerami Grant to the Trail Blazers for a 2025 first-round pick. The teams will also swap the No. 36 and 46 overall selections in the 2022 NBA Draft. The 28-year-old, who was acquired from Detroit in a sign-and-trade deal with Denver back in 2020, averaged 20.9 points, 4.4 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.1 blocks over the last two seasons in the Motor City. He's battled health issues throughout his career, so that's something for fantasy managers to consider, and his pairing with Damian Lillard may also cause his scoring output to decline. Yet, he's a proven producer when available, so managers in all formats should look in his direction moving toward the 2022-23 campaign.
Upcoming unrestricted free-agent center Jusuf Nurkic is expected to receive plenty of offers in July. However, the Blazers hold the big man's bird rights, which will make Portland the favorite to retain his services. The 27-year-old has emerged as one of the best at the center position throughout his tenure in Portland, and he recently finished the 2021-22 season by averaging 15.0 points, 11.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.1 steals before succumbing to a foot injury. Still, Nurkic's shooting percentages could improve, especially from deep, and his inability to remain healthy is a significant reason why he hasn't been a more impactful fantasy option over the years.
Portland Trail Blazers guard Anfernee Simons is hopeful that he can remain with the organization. He is in the final year of his rookie deal, but is confident the two sides can agree on a deal. Simons averaged 17.3 points with 3.9 assists and 2.6 rebounds, which are all career highs for the young guard. He'll likely receive a qualifying offer from the Blazers and they will negotiate from there. He should have an opportunity to be a big part of the roster alongside Damian Lillard.
Portland Trail Blazers center Drew Eubanks (wrist) and small/power forward CJ Elleby (illness) have been tagged as questionable to suit up for Sunday's contest vs. Utah. With the Blazers already tremendously short-handed, absences from either Eubanks or Elleby would present Reggie Perry, Elijah Hughes, and others with significant frontcourt roles. Eubanks has emerged as a legitimate fantasy commodity down the stretch, having averaged 14.5 points and 8.5 boards across his 22 starts with Portland, all while shooting 64.6% overall. Elleby has averaged 28 minutes on a nightly basis since the All-Star break, but he has shot just 37.7% from the field in that span, capping his ceiling.
