The Portland Trail Blazers have turned their backcourt into a traffic jam, and Scoot Henderson is the one getting squeezed out.
After pulling off the surprise deal for Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant, Portland sent Jerami Grant and Kris Murray to Memphis and suddenly changed the shape of its rebuild. Add in Damian Lillard’s return, and the Blazers may be looking at a completely different starting backcourt next season. That leaves Jrue Holiday, Shaedon Sharpe, Scoot Henderson and Blake Wesley all fighting for a lot fewer meaningful minutes than anyone probably expected.
For Henderson, the timing could hardly be worse. Portland spent a top-ten pick on him to help lead this next era, but he now looks like an afterthought in a crowded rotation. With Deni Avdija emerging as a point forward and the Blazers apparently planning to start both Morant and Lillard, it’s tough to find a clean path for Henderson to get anywhere near his ceiling.
Last season was already viewed by many as the swing year for him. Lillard’s gap year and Holiday’s versatility opened the door for Henderson to grab the point guard job, but that chance was interrupted by a hamstring injury he suffered during an offseason workout. By the time he got back, the offensive pecking order had already been set.
There were still flashes. Henderson showed a star-level ceiling in Portland’s first-round playoff series against the San Antonio Spurs, though his production faded in the second half of that matchup. The consistency just hasn’t been there yet, and Portland’s roster construction is making that adjustment even harder.
To his credit, Henderson has found ways to stay useful. He hasn’t been given enough playmaking responsibility to really stretch his game, but he has quietly offered value as a 3-and-D guard. That kind of role is going to matter even more now, because Morant, Lillard and Avdija all want the ball in their hands.
The problem is simple: that role is a far cry from the one Portland once seemed to have in mind for him. The Blazers invested in Henderson and Sharpe as the foundation of the rebuild, but now Henderson’s chances of becoming the starter and taking over the backcourt are gone.
That’s what makes this summer feel so jarring for a player who entered the 2023 NBA Draft with massive expectations. He was supposed to be one of the faces of the rebuild. Instead, he’s looking more and more like the third-string point guard behind Lillard and Morant.
And if Portland’s new star pairing doesn’t work, that’s going to create a different kind of problem. The Blazers still need one of Henderson or Sharpe to develop into a star if they’re going to become a real threat again. For now, though, the trade has made Henderson’s road in Portland a whole lot murkier.
It’s also a tough spot financially, with Henderson extension eligible this summer. The starting job is no longer there for him, and now the bigger question is how much room he’ll even have to grow in Portland at all.
In Other News...
Blazers Are Starting To Shape Micah Noris First Bench
Micah Noris first staff in Portland is beginning to take shape, and the Trail Blazers have made an early move by hiring Mike Williams as an assistant coach. For a first-time head coach, the opening hires matter almost as much as the job itself, and Williams brings a familiarity with the organization along with a coaching path that has taken him through the Wizards, Jazz and back around to the Blazers.
Williams is not new to Portland basketball circles, either. He previously worked for the team as a player development intern, then built out his rsum with the Wizards G League affiliate before most recently serving as an assistant with Utah, giving Nori a veteran voice with ties to multiple stops around the league as the Blazers continue assembling a bench behind him. [Read more 🡒]
Blazers Just Made A Blockbuster That Changes Everything
Portland has spent years trying to find a path back into real contention, and the latest move signals a willingness to chase a much higher ceiling. The Trail Blazers are taking a major swing by bringing in Ja Morant, a talent who changes the shape of an offense the moment he steps on the floor, even if the fit around him is not simple.
Joe Cronin has already made clear this is not a clean, no-doubt fit. The questions are obvious enough: how Portland covers for Morant on defense, how much shooting it can generate around him, and how much risk the club is willing to absorb in exchange for a star who can tilt a game but also leave a roster vision looking a little cloudy before it comes into focus. [Read more 🡒]
Blazers Suddenly Look Poised For The Star Move Fans Crave
Portlands offseason chase for a true difference-maker took an early swing at Giannis Antetokounmpo before he chose Miami, but the Blazers do not appear to be settling for a quieter plan. With the star hunt still very much alive, the next name drawing real attention is Jaylen Brown, a player who would instantly change the feel of the roster and give Portland the kind of proven top-end talent it has been lacking.
Browns situation in Boston has only added to the intrigue, and the possibility of a deal has lingered long enough to suggest this is more than simple wishful thinking. Portland has the sort of pieces that could make a serious push, including veteran salary and draft assets, while Browns own standing with the Celtics has become more complicated in recent months. Even with other teams watching the market, the Blazers have positioned themselves as a team to monitor closely as the conversation around Brown starts to sharpen. [Read more 🡒]