5 Worst-case scenarios Trail Blazers must avoid at all costs in 2024-25

2. Sharpe never pieces it all together

Sharpe was one of the main players Blazers fans were excited about seeing this season. Many expected a second-year breakout in 2023-24 after a strong finish as a rookie, but he was limited to just 32 games after undergoing surgery for a core muscle injury. Now, Sharpe is unfortunately out again, this time with a tear in his left shoulder, the same injury he suffered in the 2022 Summer League.

Sharpe is just 21 years old and entering his third season; it's way too early to deem him an injury-prone player. Hopefully, he will return from this injury and still have a season where he plays close to 65 games. When Sharpe is healthy, he needs to assert himself as one of the best players on the team. That includes figuring out how to utilize his elite athleticism best to be more impactful, particularly on the defensive end as an on-ball or help defender.

Another area of improvement for Sharpe is becoming more of a consistent three-point shooter. He shot 36 percent as a rookie, but his efficiency dipped to 33.3 percent last season. The fact that his poor shooting was in a small sample size from last year is encouraging. Once Sharpe unlocks that part of his game, the rest of the court will open up for him, allowing him to drive on closeouts.

Sharpe oozes potential and could be the Blazers' best chance at having an All-Star already on their roster. But if he never takes that next jump, it will be difficult for Portland to become a true future contender.