Despite his struggles early in his career, Scoot Henderson is a big part of the Portland rebuild. He is excited about the future, considering Rip City has a lot in store, including a potential Blazers trade.
Scoot Henderson Has Full Faith in the Portland Rebuild
Henderson has not met expectations in his first year as an NBA player. Taken third in the 2023 NBA Draft by the Portland Trail Blazers, many people saw him as the new superstar. In many people’s eyes, Henderson was Damian Lillard’s successor.
That kicked off the Portland rebuild, which would involve building around Scoot and Shaedon Sharpe. Portland’s future is bright, but they might need a further shakeup. That could happen through a blockbuster Blazers trade or two, which makes them commit to the full rebuild.
Henderson’s Slow Start to His NBA Career
Henderson generated immense hype ahead of the 2023 Draft. Scoot became embroiled in debates about the Charlotte Hornets’ #2 overall pick. Ultimately, Charlotte selected Brandon Miller, one of the draft class’ best players.
Unfortunately, Scoot did not experience that kind of strong start. Anfernee Simons is Portland’s starting point guard, relegating Henderson to the bench. The community had a close eye on him after the hype he generated. The performances were underwhelming, especially with the Scoot stats.
The former G-League Ignite star averaged 14 points and 5.4 assists. However, NBA fans criticized his inefficient 38.5% field goal shooting and 3.4 turnovers per game. Some of the criticism is valid, but people overlook his biggest strengths.
Henderson is athletic, but his playmaking chops have been on display since he entered the league. When he takes over ball-handling duties, the offense looks more lively. Of course, he still commits bad turnovers, but young point guards deserve a longer leash to make bold plays. When the Blazers give him more freedom, Scoot can show why he was a top-tier guard prospect.
Something that I don’t think shows through in Scoot’s stats is this: when the team needs to get organized, he’s the one that gets them in order.
— Blazer Banter (@blazerbanter) November 21, 2024
Henderson Believes In Portland
The Trail Blazers are not a shining example of a good franchise. However, they have been competitive for the longest time due to their ability to build a team. Lillard was the franchise’s building block over the past decade, but it is a new era.
Henderson is the new and promising point guard who also exudes charisma. His personality makes him a fun teammate, especially when he is confident about the team’s future.
“I think we’ll pan out to be one of the top teams in the league pretty soon with the young core that we have and the dogs on our team,” Henderson said to HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto. “You’ve got Donovan Clingan, who’s shown little glimpses of what he can do, and Shaedon (Sharpe). I try to get those guys the ball, and I try to do my thing.”
Henderson’s playmaking gives the Blazers a high ceiling. He still has plenty to work on, but his dynamic with Sharpe and Donovan Clingan should be a priority. The Scoot stats are bleak, but the game goes beyond that.
The Elephant in the Room in the Portland Rebuild
While Chauncey Billups is a respected figure, he has not done well as the head coach. He was a fantastic basketball player, but he can look out of his depth with coaching. Veterans are a big part of his system, so young players are not getting the development opportunities.
People want a new coach and a Blazers trade to kick things off. By doing so, Scoot could become a system’s focal point. He is a superb playmaker with a high upside on defense. Apart from his passing, Scoot also shines as a mid-range shooter and the ability to attack the rim.
He could still improve in many areas like his finishing and perimeter shooting. However, new personnel could give that to him. The likely trades for Portland involve Simons and Jerami Grant, opening plenty of minutes for Henderson.
Henderson Deserves the Blazers’ Commitment
General Manager Joe Cronin must make big moves in the market. He has done some good moves like trading for Deni Avdija, but committing to the youth is a good decision. Simons, Grant, Deandre Ayton, and Robert Williams III all look like strong trade candidates.
The Trail Blazers have received trade interest on Anfernee Simons, Jerami Grant and Robert Williams, per @ShamsCharania.
Portland could receive a large amount of assets to accelerate their rebuilding efforts, if they made all three available on the market. pic.twitter.com/kMn5yvHIUL
— Evan Sidery (@esidery) December 10, 2024
The Blazers could meet Scoot Henderson’s expectations of being a good team. They selected him as the franchise point guard, knowing Dame would ask out. The jury is still out on that decision, but they should fully commit to it. That means ignoring the Scoot stats and giving him the reins to showcase why he was such a lauded prospect.
