The Portland Trail Blazers are in the thick of a rebuild, and like any team trying to find its footing post-superstar era, every draft pick carries weight. While fans and analysts have been buzzing about Hansen Yang’s upside and Donovan Clingan’s potential as a long-term anchor in the paint, one name that’s quietly drifting out of the spotlight is Scoot Henderson. And that’s a tough pill to swallow for a player once billed as a franchise savior.
Let’s be clear: Henderson hasn’t played a game this season due to a hamstring injury, so the jury is still out. But when you look around the league-specifically at Houston-it's hard not to wonder what could’ve been if Portland had gone in a different direction with that pick.
Because Amen Thompson? He’s not just good-he’s already making a case as one of the most impactful young two-way players in the NBA.
Thompson has emerged as a defensive force for the Rockets, the kind of player who can switch across multiple positions and make life miserable for opposing ballhandlers. His offensive game is still coming along, but even now, he’s averaging 17.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game while shooting 48.0% from the field. The three-point shot isn’t there yet-just 18.8% on 2.1 attempts per game-but his ability to affect the game in so many other ways more than makes up for it.
And that’s where the contrast with Henderson becomes hard to ignore. While Thompson is already making a nightly impact on both ends, Henderson remains a question mark.
Again, it’s early. Injuries happen.
But for a team like Portland, trying to build a young core that can grow together, every pick matters. And so far, Thompson looks like the kind of foundational piece that could’ve accelerated the rebuild.
Imagine a lineup built around Thompson, Deni Avdija, Donovan Clingan, Toumani Camara, and Shaedon Sharpe. That’s a group with size, athleticism, defensive versatility, and just enough offensive punch to make things interesting.
Sharpe, in particular, has flashed star potential this season, and Clingan has shown signs he could be a long-term solution at center. Hansen Yang, too, has intriguing upside.
The pieces are there. But when you stack it all up, the Henderson pick stands out-not because he’s a bust, but because Thompson is already producing at a level Portland hoped Scoot would reach.
There’s also the ripple effect to consider. Portland traded back to land Yang, passing on Derik Queen in the process.
Queen is now blossoming into a star for the Pelicans, while Yang remains a project. And while Clingan has looked solid, Zach Edey-picked just after him-has shown flashes with the Grizzlies when healthy.
These aren’t disasters by any stretch, but they’re the kinds of decisions that can shape the trajectory of a franchise.
Still, it’s not time to close the book on Henderson. He’s young, explosive, and has the kind of competitive fire that teams covet.
Once he’s healthy, he’ll get his shot to prove why Portland believed in him in the first place. But as things stand today, it’s hard not to look at what Amen Thompson is doing in Houston and wonder what might have been.
The Trail Blazers are building something. There’s talent on the roster, and patience is part of the process.
But in a league where every draft pick can swing a rebuild, some decisions loom larger than others. And the Henderson-Thompson fork in the road?
That one might define this era in Portland basketball.