The Portland Trail Blazers had a mediocre offense throughout the 2024-25 season and now lose key pieces in former starters Anfernee Simons and Deandre Ayton. That's by design as general manager Joe Cronin looks to clear the runway for recent top ten picks Scoot Henderson and Donovan Clingan, but it also makes their offense overly reliant on a 21-year-old to step up as a primary playmaker.
By the process of elimination, Portland desperately needs Scoot to look like the prospect into which they invested a coveted top pick because they have no other immediate options. Damian Lillard is expected to miss all of 2025-26 as he recovers from his Achilles injury. Holiday had just 3.9 assists per game in Boston, and their final roster addition, Blake Wesley, is best suited as an off-ball guard.
Blazers playoff hopes depend entirely on Scoot Henderson
Simons is underrated as a playmaker and finished the season with the best assist-to-turnover ratio on the team. Meanwhile, Henderson had one of the worst turnover rates among qualified point guards. That downgrade in ball security will cause Portland's offense to take a step back next season. Although the Blazers should have a top ten defense with their core frontcourt pieces, Portland's lack of playmakers in the backcourt could be the very thing that prevents them from ending a four-year playoff drought.
Scoot has shown flashes as someone capable of taking on an increased playmaking role, but the Blazers still don't know if he can do it on a consistent basis. In a Western Conference filled with elite guards such as Luka Doncic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Stephen Curry, Portland is at a severe disadvantage in the backcourt. Regardless of how stout their defense is, that uphill battle could be too steep to climb.
It's part of the growing pains for a young Blazers team, and their long-term outlook could be better off because of it. However, that also defeats the purpose of their win-now trade for 35-year-old Jrue Holiday, who can't fill Simons' playmaking void at this stage in his career.
Because Cronin has emphasized Portland's immediate desire to win, it's surprising they didn't do more to address their ballhandling and playmaking. It leaves them vulnerable if Henderson doesn't pan out, which could lead to significant backcourt changes next summer.
Perhaps Henderson will rise to the occasion of an increased role and take another step forward in his third season. Still, there is a lot of immediate pressure to put on a young player at the point guard position, which historically takes the longest to develop.