The Portland Trail Blazers entered the 2025-26 season with aspirations of ending a four-year playoff drought. They were building off a strong finish to last season that propelled them into the play-in conversation, and all signs pointed towards that momentum carrying over.
Although the projected win total was similar to last year's 36-win season, on paper, this was supposed to be a much better team. For one, their up-and-coming roster would have an entire offseason to focus on internal improvement. But perhaps most significantly, Portland made a surprising win-now move to acquire a 35-year-old Jrue Holiday.
Blazers' Jrue Holiday trade is backfiring
It was a polarizing deal.