Ja Morant

Portland Trail Blazers guard Ja Morant could come off the bench this season, according to team reporter Casey Holdahl, who noted that the Blazers' decision not to let him wear No. 12 went over without much fuss. Head coach Micah Nori told The Athletic that starting Morant alongside Damian Lillard doesn't make sense, and the two-time All-Star said on media day that starting or not is "the same thing" to him. Jrue Holiday would be the likeliest starter in that scenario. A bench role wouldn't necessarily sink Morant's fantasy value. He played only 28.5 minutes per game in Memphis last season, and leading the second unit would keep the ball in his hands away from Lillard. Efficiency is the bigger concern after he shot 41.0 percent from the field and 23.5 percent from three across 20 games in 2025-26.