The Chicago Bulls have stolen Tiago Splitter away from the Portland Trail Blazers, hiring the Brazilian big man as their next head coach. That's actually good news for Portland's high-flyer Shaedon Sharpe, who surprisingly fell out of Splitter's playoff rotation in their first-round loss to the San Antonio Spurs.
In that five-game stretch, Sharpe averaged just 7.2 points and 1.6 rebounds in only 13.4 minutes per game. In his exit interview, Sharpe clarified that he was fully physically healthy, making Splitter's decision all the more puzzling. Sharpe added that Splitter shared the reason behind the decision, though he declined to share it with the media.
Tiago Splitter couldn't trust Shaedon Sharpe in the playoffs
Our best guess is his lackluster defense, considering that was the reason cited by Chauncey Billups when he decided to bench Sharpe midseason the year prior.
Portland gave San Antonio a much more competitive series than the final 4-1 series suggests. It was an overall success considering they lost to the eventual Western Conference champions. Still, it was disappointing to see Sharpe take a backseat.
The Blazers realistically were never going to make a deep playoff run, meaning the top priority should've been gaining valuable playoff experience for their young core. We just saw the Spurs' inexperience cost them the Finals against the New York Knicks. Even though they had more overall talent, they weren't ready to finish the job. The hope with Portland was that this playoff experience would make them more battle-tested so they don't have similar shortcomings when, talent-wise, they are ready to win at the highest stage.
The fact that Sharpe not only fell out of the starting lineup but didn't even play a meaningful role off the bench raises legitimate questions about whether Portland truly considers him a building block going forward.
Blazers must make Shaedon Sharpe a priority
They did invest in him long-term before the season, signing him to a four-year, $90 million extension. But Portland is also a wild card team to watch this summer, as they could go star hunting under Tom Dundon. If they do make a splash, Sharpe's star ceiling and untapped potential at 23 years old would be a massive trade chip to help outbid other suitors.
If Splitter were to remain head coach, the Blazers would have to seriously consider that option. Now, there's more reason for optimism that the Blazers' next head coach -- whether it's Boston's Tyler Lashbrook or Minnesota's Micah Nori -- will make Sharpe a bigger focal point.
Nori, in particular, is an intriuging option to maximize Sharpe's talents, considering how well Anthony Edwards has performed in Minnesota during his tenure as the Timberwolves' lead assistant.
Outside of Deni Avdija, Sharpe has the highest upside on this roster. That needs to be factored into the Blazers' coaching search, given how closely tied Sharpe's ceiling is to the Blazers' ceiling.
With Dundon's Carolina Hurricanes winning the Stanley Cup and Splitter now landing with the Bulls, expect Portland to decide in the coming week.
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