When Portland Trail Blazers tip off against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday, November 23, 2025, at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, they’ll be doing so without their franchise heart — and barely with a functioning backcourt. The team, sitting at 7-9 and fourth in the Northwest Division, is reeling from a cascade of injuries that has turned what was already a rebuilding season into a survival mission. Damian Lillard, the face of the franchise since 2012, won’t play again this season after suffering a ruptured Achilles in late October. His absence isn’t just a statistical loss — it’s a psychological earthquake in a locker room already strained by uncertainty.

Backcourt Decimated: Five Key Guards Out Long-Term

The real nightmare? The guard room is gone. Jrue Holiday, the veteran defensive anchor, is out until at least December 5 after a calf strain worsened on November 21. Scoot Henderson, the 21-year-old rising star, is sidelined for 2-4 weeks with a hamstring tear — meaning he could miss the entire first quarter of December. Then there’s Matisse Thybulle, who tore his left thumb UCL on October 29 and may not return until late November, if at all. Blake Wesley, a promising young guard, fractured his right foot on October 31 and is projected to miss 8-12 weeks — potentially until mid-January. And now, Shaedon Sharpe, Portland’s explosive 21-year-old shooting guard, is ruled out for Sunday after aggravating his calf injury just hours before the game.

That’s five guards — all key rotation pieces — out for at least a month. Portland Trail Blazers’s roster now looks like a patchwork quilt stitched together by desperation. As Sean Highkin of Rose Garden Report noted on November 21, "Hardship exceptions, two-way signings, and trades are among Portland’s possibilities to salvage a decimated guard room." The team has already activated two-way player Drew Eubanks for depth, but the gap between NBA-caliber guards and G League call-ups is a chasm.

Frontcourt Struggles and Questionable Returns

It’s not just the backcourt. Robert Williams III, the defensive anchor acquired last offseason, is listed as questionable with lingering knee inflammation. He’s been a stabilizing force in the paint, averaging 8.3 points and 7.1 rebounds in 14 games. His absence would leave Donovan Clingan, the 20-year-old rookie, as the only healthy center — and he’s nursing a left ankle sprain from Tuesday’s loss to Sacramento. Clingan, who’s been a surprise starter, averages a double-double (10.2 points, 10.0 rebounds) but lacks the strength to handle the Thunder’s physical front line alone.

Meanwhile, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Thunder is averaging 31.9 points per game — the kind of offensive force Portland’s depleted defense can’t contain. Without Holiday to guard him, and without Williams or Clingan fully healthy to help, the Blazers’ defensive rating (118.7) is among the league’s worst. It’s not just talent — it’s cohesion. The team’s chemistry, already fragile after trading away several veterans last summer, is evaporating.

What’s Next? Hardship Exceptions and the Long Road Ahead

The NBA’s hardship exception allows teams with five or more injured players to sign a sixth player outside the usual roster limits. The Portland Trail Blazers have already applied — and likely will sign a veteran guard from the free agent pool, possibly someone like Malik Beasley or Cameron Payne, both of whom have recent NBA experience. But these are Band-Aids. The real solution? A trade. And that’s where things get messy.

Portland’s draft capital is gone — they traded their 2024 first-rounder for Jrue Holiday last year. Their 2025 pick is protected. They have little to offer except future second-rounders and aging veterans like Toumani Camara, who’s been solid (12.5 ppg, 5.1 rpg) but not exactly trade bait. The front office, led by executive Neil Olshey, is now in damage control mode — and the clock is ticking.

Why This Matters Beyond Portland

This isn’t just about the Blazers losing games. It’s about what happens when a franchise’s core collapses without a plan. Lillard’s injury — a career-altering one at 35 — marks the end of an era. The team’s rebuild was supposed to be gradual. Now, it’s a freefall. The league is watching. Are the Blazers going to tank? Will they trade Donovan Clingan or Toumani Camara for future assets? Or are they clinging to hope, betting that a healthy Henderson and Sharpe can carry them into 2026?

For fans, it’s painful. For the players, it’s exhausting. And for the league, it’s a warning: even the most promising rebuilds can unravel in weeks when injuries strike in waves.