Damian Lillard and Ja Morant may not need a tag-team nickname just yet.
Portland Trail Blazers head coach Micah Nori does not believe that starting Lillard and Morant together in the backcourt makes sense, Jason Quick of The Athletic reported on Friday. Quick adds that fellow Blazers guard Jrue Holiday is a better fit to start while one of Lillard or Morant comes off the bench.
However, Quick also notes that Nori will have to manage egos and that benching either of his multi-time All-Stars could prove to be a delicate task for a rookie head coach who is only on a one-year contract. You can read Quick’s full report on the situation here.
Indeed, Holiday, himself a two-time All-Star and two-time NBA champion, is the more logical fit to start at the 2 spot given his superb defensive profile and his underrated ability to create his own shot. Conversely, Lillard and Morant are both poor defenders who also both require the ball in their hands in order to be effective.
On paper, it would appear that Lillard, though returning from an Achilles tear at 36 years old, would be a better starting PG option since he is a far superior floor spacer. But Morant, the 27-year-old acquired in a trade earlier this offseason with the Memphis Grizzlies, brings a dimension of youth, athleticism, and burst that Lillard does not.
For his part, the controversial guard Morant does seem to be extremely excited about teaming up with the Blazers icon Lillard in Portland. But a successful partnership will likely require a big sacrifice on at least one of their parts.
