The Portland Trail Blazers kept the third overall pick and drafted Scoot Henderson on Thursday night. There was plenty of talk about them trading the selection, but they would have regretted it. Scoot would have been the number-one pick in plenty of drafts, and he has superstar potential. The 19-year-old is mature and ready to get to work in the NBA.
It was an eventful night for the Blazers as they added Kris Murray and Rayan Rupert to give them three talented rookies to add depth to their roster. Portland was certainly one of the draft’s biggest winners, but what now?
Fans heard the rumblings about what is next for Damian Lillard, but what should the Blazers be focused on? The offseason is just beginning, and the front office must upgrade their roster. What should they do?
Moves Portland Trail Blazers should make after drafting Scoot Henderson
5. Upgrade at the 5
The Blazers cannot count on Jusuf Nurkic. He is under contract for the next three seasons and is set to make $54.4 million, but the 6’11 big man has only played in 153 games over the last four years combined. Nurkic has taken the court more than 65 times just twice in his nine NBA seasons. Portland has even tried limiting his minutes, but it has not helped in keeping him on the floor.
Drew Eubanks is an unrestricted free agent this offseason, so Portland does not have a backup center on their roster. The Blazers have a clear need at the five and improving there is a goal for this offseason. Ideally, they can dump Nurkic’s contract and get a fresh start at the position, but that won’t be easy.
The Portland Trail Blazers need to find an upgrade at the five, but can they find the right move?
4. Re-sign Jerami Grant
Grant is an unrestricted free agent that is coming off arguably the best season of his career. The 6’8 forward averaged 20.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 0.8 steals, and 0.8 blocks in 35.7 minutes per game on 47.5 percent shooting from the field and 40.1 percent on his threes. Grant has been a strong scorer for three straight years, but his efficiency took a massive leap playing in Portland next to Damian Lillard.
The Blazers need to bring Grant back if they want to keep Damian Lillard, but it will not come cheap. The 6’8 forward is reportedly seeking $30 million per season in his new contract. Will Portland have to offer a five-year deal worth $150 million? It is the easiest way for them to win a bidding war. Grant is 29 years old and underrated. The best could still be yet to come.
If he leaves in free agency, Portland would have some cap space, but they would not be able to add someone of Grant’s caliber. Adding a couple of pieces and using the full mid-level exception could give the Trail Blazers depth, but they need more than that.
Their path to contention is keeping Jerami Grant and finding a way to trade for role players around Dame, Scoot, and the 6’8 forward.
3. Trade for role players
Lillard wants the franchise to put more veterans around him. The Blazers were 28th in defensive rating last season and 26th in rebound percentage last season. They need to upgrade their perimeter defense, rebounding, and rim protection. Portland has plenty of offense with Dame and Scoot, but can they find the right pieces to put around them?
Drafting Kris Murray at 23 and Rayan Rupert at 43 should help the Blazers. Murray is an NBA-ready 3-and-D forward that should slot into the rotation immediately. Rupert profiles as a strong defender that needs time to develop, but he could fill-in spot minutes as a rookie.
If the Blazers bring back Jerami Grant, they will not have cap space. Portland has decisions to make on Cam Reddish, Matisse Thybulle, Justise Winslow, and Drew Eubanks this offseason. Reddish and Thybulle are restricted free agents, so the Trail Blazers can match any offer, but they do not want their spending to get out of control.
Their upgrades will have to come via their mid-level exception and trades. They owe their 2024 first-round draft pick to the Bulls with protections through 2028. That leaves the Blazers with just one first-rounder eligible to trade, so they must offer talent to get pieces in a deal.
Drafting Scoot Henderson and keeping Damian Lillard puts Anfernee Simons on the trade block, and Portland should have a deal in their crosshairs if they want to keep their franchise GOAT.
2. Trade Anfernee Simons
Simons averaged 21.1 points, 4.1 assists, and 2.6 rebounds in 35.0 minutes per game last season. The 24-year-old keeps getting better, but the Blazers have a difficult decision to make. Damian Lillard and Scoot Henderson are both 6’2. They form a small backcourt, and Simons is just 6’3. Portland cannot afford to have three starters under 6’4.
The Trail Blazer rebuffed every offer for Henderson ahead of the draft. Will they try to trade arguably the greatest player in franchise history? Lillard wants to finish his career in Portland, and the seven-time All-Star would have to request a trade to get moved. That leaves Simons squarely on the trade block to clear their glut of small guards.
Trading a young 20-point-per-game scorer is never easy and giving up the best player in the deal is always difficult for a team with aspirations of contending. The Blazers need pieces. They have a legend and one with the potential to be an all-time great. Portland has to find the right players to go around them. Trading Simons for a starting center and role players is the franchise’s path to doing that.
The Portland Trail Blazers must nail this trade or it could quickly turn into the end of an era.
1. Convince Dame to stay
Damian Lillard is an unquestioned superstar coming off arguably the best season of his career. He is a perennial All-NBA candidate that wants to play his entire career in Portland. The seven-time All-Star loves the Blazers, but he wants to win.
Portland has missed the playoffs for two straight years, and that is not good enough. Dame is a 32-year-old superstar that has not won a championship. He helped the Blazers reach the conference finals in 2019, but Lillard wants a ring. If he cannot do it in Portland, Dame might look elsewhere.
The Trail Blazers need to convince him to stay by improving their roster around him. Scoot Henderson is a special prospect that could turn into a multiple-time All-Star. Portland will have a small backcourt with that duo, so they need strong defenders and additional depth.
The Portland Trail Blazers’ top priority should be getting Damian Lillard to commit to their vision. He is still under contract for at least three more years, and they need a superstar if they going to get back to the playoffs in 2024.
What is next for the Blazers? The offseason is just getting underway, and Portland has work to do, so stay tuned for all the latest.
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