With all the eyes on the Portland Trail Blazers’ Hansen Yang pick, and even their selection of Donovan Clingan, Scoot Henderson is being glossed over. If Portland had taken Amen Thompson instead of Henderson, they could be in an even better position right now, and perhaps even in the playoff mix.
Thompson has turned into a star for the Houston Rockets. He’s going to be a staple of All-Defensive teams for years to come, and his offensive game is slowly improving, too. Meanwhile, Henderson, who has yet to appear in a game this season, hasn’t looked like the best pick.
A core of Thompson, Deni Avdija, Donovan Clingan, Toumani Camara, and Shaedon Sharpe (in theory) would be absolutely elite.
Blazers should have taken Amen Thmopson over Scoot Henderson
The Blazers’ drafting has been good. Clingan, Yang, and Sharpe have shown plenty of potential, with Sharpe even potentially emerging as a star this season.
However, the Blazers could have (maybe) drafted better centers than Clingan and Yang. Zach Edey went a couple of picks after Clingan, and he has looked solid for the Memphis Grizzlies (when healthy).
As for the Yang pick, Portland traded back to get him when they could have picked Derik Queen, who is blossoming into a star with the New Orleans Pelicans.
But the Henderson pick has to really sting right now. Maybe once he recovers from his hamstring injury, Henderson will finally start to show the flashes of stardom Portland drafted him for. They’ll have to wait to find out, though.
Thompson, on the other hand, has been everything the Rockets need.
So far this season, Thompson is averaging 17.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 5.3 assists while shooting 48.0% from the floor and 18.8% from beyond the arc on 2.1 three-point attempts per contest.
But for all of the statistical contributions he’s giving the Rockets, his defensive versatility is even more valuable. He’s one of the best all-around defenders in the league.
He can guard almost anyone around the NBA, and his athleticism is a major tool in making that happen. But it’s his defensive IQ that really brings it all together.
Had the Blazers selected Thompson instead of Henderson, the entire outlook of their franchise could be in a different place than it is right now.
The Yang and Clingan picks still have time to pan out, and so does Henderson, but when looking at the long-term outlook of the organization, one misfire stands out more than the others.