The Portland Trail Blazers gave up on Nickeil Alexander-Walker far too soon, as evidenced by his Most Improved Player of the Year award-winning season with the Atlanta Hawks. It could make sense for GM Joe Cronin to correct that mistake by targeting him in a deal with the Hawks, potentially using Scoot Henderson as a trade chip.
Alexander-Walker is outproducing Henderson, so the package would need to include draft capital heading to Atlanta, but financially the one-for-one player swap works, with Alexander-Walker making $14.4 million this season.
We previously pitched sending Henderson to the Charlotte Hornets in a package to acquire Naz Reid. But with major backcourt injuries to Ja Morant, Shaedon Sharpe, and now Vit Krejci, we're also seeing why Portland still needs guards like Henderson.
The only problem is he hasn't risen to the occasion in the starting lineup filling in for Morant. That's where Alexander-Walker could come in as a backcourt upgrade. He's also under contract through 2028-29 with a player option, which aligns with Cronin's tendency to acquire players still under contract for multiple seasons.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker trade could solve Blazers' Scoot Henderson contract dilemma
It would not only give Portland an immediate upgrade but also solve their looming restricted free agency problem with Henderson. They didn't reach a rookie-scale extension with Henderson before the season and could turn that into Alexander-Walker instead of being forced to decide whether to give up on a former No. 3 overall pick or pay someone who hasn't yet emerged as a true building block. Proactively trading Henderson lets the Blazers get something of value rather than face this potential lose-lose scenario, and Alexander-Walker may be the best fit as a replacement.
As a 6-foot-5 guard, he has that length and versatility that Cronin covets. He also fits their defensive identity as that point-of-attack defender, which is important since Henderson has developed into a positive force on that end of the court. Offensively, the Blazers would have an upgrade in terms of shooting, playmaking, and shot-creation, areas Henderson has unfortunately struggled in to start the season.
This ultimately may be wishful thinking at this point, with how much better Alexander-Walker has played compared to Henderson, especially with Atlanta having him on the longer-term deal. They'd have to commit to Henderson long-term, and their need at point guard has declined after taking Houston guard Kingston Flemings in the draft.
But the Hawks still feel like a team in need of a retool or a roster pivot to raise its ceiling. Why not take a step back and turn an established asset like Alexander-Walker into future draft capital and an up-and-coming player like Henderson?
Portland's No. 3 overall pick hasn't quite met expectations, but there's something to be said for his potential given the draft pedigree of a guard who's still getting better at just 22 years old. Henderson has also embraced more of an off-ball role this season with the Blazers, which could make him a better long-term fit alongside Flemings if that's the direction the Hawks want to take their backcourt. At the very least, he'd be a strong guard option for the Hawks to bring off the bench. Perhaps Henderson would even benefit from the change of scenery and be more comfortable playing close to home.
The Blazers officially have a ticking clock on Henderson. Not just in terms of the looming restricted free agency but also the Feb. trade deadline. He hasn't done a great job stepping up without Morant, and the Blazers are suddenly a win-now team looking to pull off a first-round win in the Western Conference playoffs.
Henderson individually has plenty of time to develop into a consistent, more complete guard. But that doesn't align with the new timeline of a Blazers team that's accelerating its rebuild. Trading Henderson and draft picks for Alexander-Walker could solve multiple problems for Portland at once. Hopefully, the Hawks are willing to overlook Henderson's struggles to start the season, since it's a matter of asking price and how convinced they are he's a long-term piece with a contract set to expire.
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