The Portland Trail Blazers drafted Yang Hansen, traded for Jrue Holiday, brought back Damian Lillard, and got a solid buyer for the team… and somehow 18 other NBA teams had a better offseason? That’s how David Aldridge of the Athletic (subscription required) sees it in his series ranking every team’s offseason. Positions 20 through 11 were published Wednesday, while 30 through 21 were published Tuesday.

After acknowledging that bringing back Lillard is a good thing, Aldridge rightly points out how it could go wrong as he ranks the Blazers’ offseason 19th:

Whether or not Lillard, who tore his Achilles in April, plays a second this season for the Blazers doesn’t matter; this is a win-win, with Lillard again being able to mentor Scoot Henderson while getting a year to rehab in familiar environs. Portland thinks Yang has a chance to be a star. But most everyone else had a second-round grade on him pre-draft. And, the Blazers had plenty of big-man depth already in Donovan Clingan, Robert Williams III and Duop Reath. Hey, go for Yang if you believe in him. But he had better pan out. Similarly, the Blazers need Holiday to help lift them to playoff level. It better work, considering they gave up the (nine years) younger Simons in the exchange.

Is Yang the steal of the draft, or will he take a few seasons to develop into a legitimate NBA player? Or could that latter possibility be even too optimistic? While its been reported that other teams behind Portland were ready to pounce on the 7’1” center, Aldridge correctly points out that most teams had him much later, quite possibly in the second round. There are no sure things in the NBA, but a player who hasn’t exactly dominated the Chinese Basketball Association is farther away from a sure thing than many fellow first round picks.

Jure Holiday is also gamble for Portland. At first glance it appears that there are multiple ways this trade could work for Portland. With his defensive prowess Holiday might just fit like glove, bringing the best out of his teammates with his skill and veteran wiles. There is also the possibility that he could be a valuable trade target, either at the trade deadline or next summer, giving Portland valuable assets that perhaps fit the timeline of their up-and-comers better. But what if he declines significantly this season? That’s not an absurd outcome for a 35 year old. The Blazers would be on the hook for another two seasons after 2025-26 if Holiday exercises his player option for 2027-28. It could get worse. What if Anfernee Simons fulfills all of the promise that he teased in Portland but never quite delivered? It’s not impossible that the Holiday/Simons trade could haunt Portland for years. Yes, there are risks here that some might not wish to acknowledge.

One thing that Aldridge doesn’t comment on is how this off-season has changed the narrative for Blazers fans. Of course not everyone is on board with everything that the Blazers have done, but there is a palpable excitement in Portland these days. Who doesn’t want to see what Yang can deliver? Who isn’t excited about the possibility of seeing some better basketball around these parts? While we don’t know for sure what the new ownership group will mean for the Blazers, most folks are excited and not just a bit relieved that, at least for now, the worst case scenario for the future of the Blazers seems decidedly more unlikely. And Damian Lillard coming back home on top of it all? While 19th position is certainly defensible given all of the risks and unknowns, you can make a pretty good argument that injecting some excitement into Blazers fans deserves a higher rating all by itself.