The Oregonian/OregonLive is taking a player-by-player look at the Portland Trail Blazers roster heading into the offseason.
Prior posts: Donovan Clingan; Robert Williams III; Matisse Thybulle; Dalano Banton, Kris Murray; Jabari Walker; Duop Reath; Rayan Rupert; Justin Minaya; Bryce McGowens; Sidy Cissoko.
• • •
Height, position, age: 7-foot, center, 26.
Contract status: Ayton has one year remaining on his contract worth $35.5 million.
2024-25 contributions (reference page): Ayton started 40 games before being shut down for the season with a left calf strain that occurred on Feb. 20.
He averaged 14.4 points and 10.2 rebounds, shooting 56.6% from the field. These numbers were down from last season when he averaged 16.7 points and 11.1 rebounds, while shooting 57%.
Ayton peaked during the team’s run of 10 victories in 11 games (Jan. 19 through Feb. 6). The Blazers went 8-0 with Ayton in the lineup, producing 19.4 points and 11.8 rebounds on 58.6% shooting.
When Ayton was on, the Blazers were a different team. They went 10-4 when he scored at least 18 points and 3-16 when he scored under 15 points.
Fit moving forward: It’s complicated.
At times, Ayton is great. But his inconsistency makes it difficult to rely on him as a team’s driving force. He fits better as a role player who occasionally has big games. However, his price tag is too high for a part-time impact player.
Most problematic is that Ayton is often a negative on defense. He had the team’s worst defensive rating (116.8) and the lowest net rating (minus-6.9) among those playing more than 10 minutes per game.
Under coach Chancey Billups, playing inconsistently on offense while providing stellar defense is acceptable. See Donovan Clingan, Toumani Camara and Matisse Thybulle.
Playing poorly defensively and proving inconsistent on offense can lead one to the bench.
Deandre Ayton #2 and head coach Chauncey Billups of the Portland Trail Blazers embrace after a 121-119 win against the Phoenix Suns at Moda Center on February 03, 2025 in Portland, Oregon. (Photo by Soobum Im/Getty Images)Getty Images
Likelihood to return: Iffy at best.
The Blazers must make a decision and fast.
Ideally, they could move Ayton this summer for valuable assets and go with Donovan Clingan as the starter. He is coming off a solid rookie season.
Or, the Blazers enter the season with Ayton as the starter, hope he plays well, then deal him at the trade deadline.
Should Ayton become a consistent force, the Blazers could consider keeping him, because a motivated and focused Ayton can help a team win games.
Regardless of what happens next season, it’s possible that Ayton won’t ever have much trade value and the team would have to attach picks to his contract to get another team to take him for more desirable assets.
That wouldn’t be an awful situation if the obtainable asset moves the needle for the Blazers like Deni Avdija did last year, when they acquired him by trading Malcolm Brogdon and two first-round picks to Washington.
2025-26 outlook: Should Ayton remain with the team through the summer, he will be the starter because he is the best center on the roster.
The team redirecting its focus to making a run at the postseason could motivate Ayton to reach new heights.
Ayton, who spent five seasons in Phoenix, and Robert Williams III, who played for Boston, are the only players on the team who have tasted playoff success as a starter.
Many possibilities exist. Ayton’s will be one of the team’s most intriguing storylines moving forward.
Next up: Toumani Camara.
— Aaron Fentress | [email protected] | @AaronJFentress (X), @AaronJFentress (Instagram), @AaronFentress (Facebook)