Scoot Henderson’s next contract decision is now in the hands of time.
The Oct. 19 deadline came and went without a rookie-scale extension, and that leaves the Portland Trail Blazers guard set up for restricted free agency next summer. He’s hardly alone. According to NBA insider Jake Weinbach, Henderson is one of eight notable young players who are expected to reach that market, a group that also includes Anthony Black, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Bilal Coulibaly, Jarace Walker, Brice Sensabaugh, Julian Strawther and Dereck Lively II.
That list matters because these aren’t just random names waiting on the sidelines. These are young players with real rotation value, and in some cases, star-level upside. But the path through restricted free agency has gotten tougher in recent years, with Jalen Duren and Peyton Watson standing as fresh examples of how complicated that process can get.
For Henderson, the extension never looked especially clean. Even with his growth as a scorer - 14.2 points, 2.7 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game last season - Portland’s crowded backcourt makes a major financial commitment difficult right now. The Blazers clearly still see him as part of the future, but that doesn’t guarantee a long-term deal will be waiting next summer.
Dereck Lively II is in a different kind of bind with the Dallas Mavericks. He’s become an important piece in the team’s big-man mix, but the health questions hang over everything.
Lively played only seven games last season, putting up 4.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game, and he was still sidelined through training camp and the preseason this year. Dallas can afford to wait and see whether he can stay on the floor before making a big investment.
Anthony Black’s situation is more about the money than the player. After a breakout season in which he averaged 15.0 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game, the Orlando Magic still weren’t in position to extend him.
The issue is cap space, plain and simple. Orlando is roughly $600,000 below the second apron, which leaves almost no room to maneuver.
The team is also unwilling to trade him, so the door could stay open for next summer, when the Magic are expected to have nearly $30 million in cap space below the $213 million tax line.
That same broad logic applies to Julian Strawther and Jarace Walker, even if their situations are different in the details. But Brice Sensabaugh, Bilal Coulibaly and Jaime Jaquez Jr. may have to force the issue this season if they want to get paid.
Sensabaugh was productive for Utah last year, averaging 14.9 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game. Still, the Jazz have made recent roster upgrades, and that means fewer minutes and less room for him to blend into the picture. He’ll need to separate himself.
Coulibaly has already shown he can help on both ends for the Wizards, putting up 11.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.0 blocks per game. But with the arrival of AJ Dybantsa, there are rumblings that he could become redundant, and that has fueled trade chatter.
Jaquez, meanwhile, landed in Milwaukee this summer as part of the blockbuster trade that sent Giannis Antetokounmpo to Miami. He has flashed as a multi-level scorer, averaging 15.4 points, 5.0 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game last year, but he’ll need to establish himself as a meaningful part of the Bucks’ rebuilding effort.
So far, none of these players has made a major preseason statement. There’s still plenty of season left, though, and the expectation is that they’ll find their rhythm once the games count.
In Other News...
Magic Open With One Early Issue Fans Can't Ignore
Franz Wagner took part fully in practice and is set to be available when the Magic open the season Wednesday against the Hawks, giving Orlando a key piece right away as it tries to start on solid footing. The workout also included Jase Richardson and Jonathan Isaac in varying capacities, a reminder that the first week of the season already has a few moving parts as the roster gets sorted out.
Anthony Blacks situation is the one that hangs over the day a little more than the rest. The guard is out Wednesday with a right ankle sprain, and his contract situation adds another layer after he and the team did not reach a rookie-scale extension before Mondays deadline, leaving his next step in Orlando uncertain as the season gets underway. [Read more 🡒]
Hornets Opener Already Comes With A Rotation Concern Fans Will Notice
The season-opening injury report already gives the Magic a little more to sort through than they probably wanted heading into Wednesday. Orlando and Charlotte each released availability updates ahead of the opener, and the early list of absences is long enough to affect how the rotation pieces together in the first real game of the year.
Franz Wagner and Jase Richardson are expected to play, which helps stabilize the lineup, but the bigger question is how Orlando fills the minutes around them. Anthony Black, Jonathan Isaac, Noah Penda and Izaiyah Nelson are all listed out, so the Magic will have to open the season without several players who might normally help shape the depth chart and defensive structure. [Read more 🡒]
Franz Wagners Status Just Became A Major Magic Storyline
Franz Wagners preseason shoulder injury has quietly become one of the more important early-season storylines for Orlando, especially with the opener against Atlanta now on the calendar. Wagner addressed the media recently to talk through the injury, the recovery process and how the Magic have been handling a new system under Coach Sweeney, giving a sense of a team that is still sorting itself out while trying to build on the progress it has made.
For Wagner, there is also a personal edge to this moment after the disappointment of past seasons, and he sounded motivated by what the group has been trying to establish. The bigger question hanging over the Magic is how close he is to being available when the games start to count, and whether his shoulder will allow him to take the floor as Orlando tries to set its tone right away. [Read more 🡒]