The Portland Trail Blazers have a backcourt that’s packed to the brim, and that kind of surplus can turn into a real roster headache fast. One recent trade proposal tries to solve it in one swing, but it would come with plenty of risk for Portland.
Sports writer Jeremy Brenner floated a blockbuster that would send Scoot Henderson, Shaedon Sharpe and Yang Hansen to the Milwaukee Bucks for Tyler Herro and Caris LeVert. On paper, it would unclog the Blazers’ guard rotation and give them two established veterans in return. In reality, it would also mean giving up three young pieces with real upside.
Portland’s logjam got even tighter earlier this offseason when the team brought in Ja Morant to pair with franchise icon Damian Lillard. That move left Henderson, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, without a clear route to the starting point guard job. Jrue Holiday is also in the mix, which only adds to the congestion at the position.
That’s why Henderson’s contract situation matters here. He’s heading into the final season of his rookie deal before becoming a restricted free agent in 2027, which makes this a possible sell-high moment if Portland decides to move him.
Herro would be the headliner in any deal like this. He’s coming off a strong season with averages of 20.5 points, 4.8 rebounds and 4.1 assists, while shooting 48.0% from the field and 37.8% from three. The former Miami Heat guard was dealt to the Milwaukee Bucks earlier this offseason in the Giannis Antetokounmpo blockbuster and is set to make $33 million in the final year of his contract before reaching unrestricted free agency.
LeVert would bring another layer of wing depth. Last season with the Detroit Pistons, he put up 7.4 points, 1.9 rebounds and 2.7 assists while shooting 41.7% from the field and 33.3% from deep. He, too, landed in Milwaukee this summer as part of a six-team, 11-player trade, and he’s on an expiring deal worth about $14.8 million.
For Portland, Herro is the obvious prize. At 26, he’s already established himself as one of the league’s more dangerous offensive guards, and he could eventually step into the shooting guard role after Lillard’s career winds down. His ability to score away from the ball would also give Morant another perimeter threat without throwing the offense out of rhythm.
Milwaukee would have its own reasons to jump at the deal. Henderson averaged 14.2 points, 2.7 rebounds and 3.7 assists last season while shooting 41.8% from the field and 35.2% from three. The production was uneven, but the 22-year-old still carries the kind of upside teams don’t let go of easily.
Sharpe is the piece that really raises the stakes for Portland. He broke out last season with 20.8 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game while shooting 45.2% from the field. His four-year, $90 million extension begins next season, and he’ll make about $20 million in the 2026-27 season.
Hansen would also be included. The young big averaged 2.2 points and 1.5 rebounds in his rookie year and remains on his four-year, $21.3 million rookie contract. He’s set to make about $4.6 million next season.
The appeal for Portland is obvious: a cleaner rotation and more certainty in the backcourt. But the danger is just as clear.
Herro is the most established player in the deal, yet he’s on an expiring contract. Unless the Blazers are sure they can lock him into a long-term extension, moving Henderson, Sharpe and Hansen would be a massive gamble.
From Milwaukee’s side, the logic is easier to follow. After moving on from Antetokounmpo, the Bucks are leaning into a younger core and a rebuild. Henderson could grow into the point guard of the future, Sharpe has the tools to become a primary scoring option, and Hansen would likely get far more consistent minutes than he has seen in Portland.
Whether the Blazers decide their crowded backcourt is enough of a problem to justify trading three young talents is still an open question. It’s the kind of move that would split a front office and a fan base right down the middle.
In Other News...
Mavericks Linked To Young Scorer But One Problem Still Looms
Bennedict Mathurin has started to surface as one of the more intriguing names in the sign-and-trade market, with league sources telling HoopsHype that multiple teams are monitoring the restricted free agent situation. Among the clubs showing interest are the Mavericks, Bucks, Pelicans and Bulls, while the Clippers are still trying to keep him in the fold but are stuck in a holding pattern because of the NBAs ongoing investigation tied to Kawhi Leonards trade.
For Milwaukee, the appeal is obvious. The Bucks have been combing through ways to reshape the roster and add scoring help, and Mathurins age and production make him a logical target for a team looking to thread the needle between immediate help and future upside. Any real pursuit, though, would still require the kind of cap and roster maneuvering that can turn a promising idea into a complicated math problem. [Read more 🡒]
Bucks Move Could Make Nate Aments Path Even Tougher
Nate Ament was already looking at a developmental year, with the Bucks planning for their recent first-round pick to spend plenty of time sharpening his game in the G League. For a young forward trying to carve out a role in Milwaukee, the path was never going to be straightforward, especially with the team still sorting out its frontcourt rotation and long-term depth.
Now the picture could get even tighter if Milwaukee follows through on adding more size and versatility on the wing and at forward. Any move that brings in established pieces at Aments position would make it harder for him to get meaningful NBA minutes early, leaving him to compete for every opening while the Bucks try to balance immediate help with his development. [Read more 🡒]