The 2025-26 season was largely viewed to be a make-or-break one for Portland Trail Blazers guard Scoot Henderson. The keys to the backcourt were wide open for the taking.
Portland strategically swapped Anfernee Simons for Jrue Holiday, a two-way player better equipped to impact winning without the ball, with the versatility to effectively play multiple positions. Damian Lillard's gap year as he patiently recovered from a brutal Achilles tear also provided Henderson with a rare window to prove he should be considered the long-term starting point guard going forward.
Unfortunately, Portland enters the summer with more questions than answers as Henderson's season was largely derailed by an untimely hamstring tear suffered during an offseason workout last year.
That could actually work to his advantage in terms of being considered for the Most Improved Player of the Year award next season.
Scoot Henderson should be considered a Most Improved Player of the Year candidate for next season
With the Blazers having no realistic shot at contention, this was a transitional season with the priorities being player development and evaluation. Although Portland is still seeking clarity as they continue to figure out how this roster best fits together, they did achieve the developmental aspect.
Thanks to acting head coach Tiago Splitter and moves made by general manager Joe Cronin, several of Portland's youth achieved breakout seasons. Deni Avdija had his first All-Star appearance, Donovan Clingan solidified his starting center spot with a second-year ascension, and even Shaedon Sharpe had a career year statistically.
Henderson was seemingly the one exception, potentially even making him the odd man out of this Blazers young core. However, he somewhat surprisingly addressed those concerns in the Blazers' first-round playoff loss to the San Antonio Spurs.
It may have been a short 4-1 series as expected, but Portland deserves credit for being far more competitive than the final result suggests. Had they not blown consecutive second-half leads, the Blazers easily could've pushed the eventual Western Conference champions to an extended series.
Henderson deserves a ton of credit for that. Particularly at the beginning of the series, he proved to be the X-Factor, recording 18, 31, and 21 points through the first three games.
Of course, that was followed by a goose egg and a five-point performance, highlighting Henderson's inconsistent play. But overall, this should be an extremely encouraging takeaway for Henderson and the Blazers.
Scoot may not have met the lofty expectations associated with being the No. 3 overall pick in 2023, but what he has done is gradually improved each year. Once you redefine expectations of Henderson, you realize he's no longer a draft bust and actually a valuable contributor for this Blazers roster.
Lillard may be back in the picture next season, but Henderson continues to show flashes of that star potential that made him a coveted prospect entering the league. Because of the narrative surrounding him and the injury-riddled season, Blazers fans seem to have caught on to this sooner than the NBA as a whole.
Blazers fans expect a good season from Henderson, especially after seeing what he showed down the stretch. That isn't necessarily the case around the league, which bodes well for his MIP chances.
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