Trail Blazers Fan Vote Reveals MVP, Future Stars and the Team's Most Chaotic Personalities
NBA awards season is here, and we wanted to hear from YOU, Portland Trail Blazers fans.
Who is your team's MVP? What about its next first-time All-Star? Which player is on the best contract? How about the worst?
Which player is most likely to have a burner account? Who's the best athlete? And, perhaps most importantly, if you had to choose one player to team up with during a Zombie apocalypse, who's your guy?
You helped us make sense of the Blazers' season by casting a ballot for each of these awards—and more!
Who Is the Most Valuable Player?
1 of 10
Winner: Deni Avdija
A handful of Blazers appeared in more games than Deni Avdija, but none of them had anything close to his level of impact on the team's offensive identity.
Avdija ascended this season, proving himself as a first-option creator whose drive game generated tons of assist opportunities and free throws. He made his first All-Star team and will finish with easy team leads in total points and assists. If anything, 86.0 percent of the vote seems low.
Who Is Most Underrated?
2 of 10
Winner: Toumani Camara
National audiences saw the Blazers as infrequently as any team in the league, which means even a player like Avdija could qualify as underrated to much of the NBA-viewing public.
More in the spirit of the award: Toumani Camara, who didn't miss a game this year, routinely defended the Blazers' toughest matchup at four different positions and hit 37.0 percent of his threes.
Clingan's rim defense gave him a serious runner-up case, while Grant's bounce-back season gave him a fringe argument.
Who Is the Best Athlete?
3 of 10
Winner: Shaedon Sharpe
Shaedon Sharpe's baseline dunk over Russell Westbrook was one of the top highlights this season. It was also a good reminder that there aren't many players in the league with Sharpe's high-rise bounce.
The springy guard didn't come close to leading Portland in slams because Clingan barely has to jump to throw down lobs, and Robert Williams III dunked over half of his field goals, but Sharpe certainly had the most posterizations.
That captured him 85.0 percent of the vote, which felt about right.
Scoot Henderson's quickness warranted some down-ballot consideration, as did Camara's defensive mobility.
Who Is Most Likely To Be a 1st-Time All-Star In the Next 5 Years?
4 of 10
Winner: Donovan Clingan
On the younger side, Sharpe, Henderson and Clingan all have non-zero chances at making an All-Star team within the next half-decade. Clingan's 2025-26 production outstripped anything the other two managed, and that was enough to persuade a majority (65.0 percent) of voters.
Sharpe got some credit for putting up 21.4 points per game across the 48 contests he played this year.
Who Has the Best Contract?
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Winner: Deni Avdija
Avdija could make an All-NBA team while earning just $14.4 million, and his contract actually declines in value over the next two seasons. You'd have a hard time finding a better value in the entire league, let alone on the Blazers.
Fans certainly didn't have to think hard about this one, with Avdija picking up 85.0 percent of votes.
Sharpe's extension kicks in next year, raising his rate from $8.4 million to $20.1 million. Few seemed to believe he'll deliver on his new number.
The other major *potential* bargain was Camara, an excellent defensive forward/wing with good size and enough shooting to scare defenses. He'll average about $20 million per season through 2029-30.
Who Has the Worst Contract?
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Winner: Jerami Grant
Even in the wake of a much improved season, Grant's remaining two years and $70 million felt a little rich. Jrue Holiday will make about $1 million more over the same span, and both he and Grant could be around for the duration if both pick up their player options for 2027-28.
We listed Sharpe among the potential best contracts, but he also had to be a thought here because his relatively empty scoring might not be enough to make him a worthwhile $20 million player going forward.
Voters didn't bite on that or on Damian Lillard's mid-level deal, despite the franchise icon not playing at all this season. Grant, predictably ran away with this award.
Who Is the Best Trash-Talker?
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Winner: Damian Lillard
Lillard's trash talk is no less effective for its reliance on iconic facial expressions and hand gestures. He didn't have the chance to chirp on the court this season, but you just know he'll have something special ready for his first game-winner in 2026-27.
Clingan had some brushes with fans following flagrant fouls in the past, and that secured him a surprisingly high 30.0 percent of the vote.
Who Is Most Likely To Have a Burner Account?
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Winner: Damian Lillard
Years ago, Lillard was among the players many suspected would be caught with a burner. He used to get into it with critics on Twitter and seemed more than comfortable with a little back and forth.
It never happened, but voters weren't ready to assume Dame has reached the age where he knows better than to slip up on social media.
Portland's young and mistake-prone core, led by Henderson, couldn't compete with the vet.
Who Are You Taking With You Into the Zombie Apocalypse?
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Winner: Jrue Holiday
Holiday has titles with two different teams and is known for resourcefully figuring out the best way to play with any group of personnel. That adaptability will be important in a situation where resources are scarce and threats are everywhere.
Sharpe's ability to get to high ground could come in handy, and Clingan's size might be an asset. But Blazers fans ultimately trusted the steady hand of Holiday.
Who Is Most Likely To Be Playing Overseas In 2 Seasons?
10 of 10
Winner: Kris Murray
Blake Wesley has yet to prove he's a rotation guard on a good team and is headed for unrestricted free agency. He could find himself entertaining non-NBA options as soon as this summer.
Fans still went with Kris Murray in a close call, handing the forward 42.0 percent of their votes to beat Wesley's 39.0 percent. Neither should feel great about rating so high in this category.
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