The Portland Trail Blazers (8-18) remain winless in December. They have the longest active losing streak in the NBA at six games after falling to the Phoenix Suns (14-11), 109-116. Relative to the low expectations, it was a decent loss for Portland, especially against a team like Phoenix with two superstars and plenty of offensive firepower, even without Bradley Beal (knee swelling) in this matchup.
There were certainly some positive takeaways. The Blazers' defensive anchor duo of Donovan Clingan and Robert Williams III were finally back in action together and played well on both sides of the ball. Deni Avdija and Toumani Camara also look the part of quality two-way wings for Portland going forward. And Anfernee Simons continues to boost his trade value with solid back-to-back performances.
But as with any rebuilding team amid a six-game losing streak, there are bound to be negatives, too. This site has been particularly critical of Scoot Henderson lately. Hopefully, he will turn things around, and we can shift the narrative to how well he's playing. He's only 20, and there's plenty of room for growth.
That said, Henderson remains one of the most polarizing players on the Blazers' roster and plays a pivotal role in determining the success of their rebuild after investing a No. 3 overall pick in him. And so far, he unfortunately hasn't delivered.
Scoot Henderson's struggles continue in performance vs. Suns
This loss to the Suns was arguably Henderson's worst game of the season, totaling just two points, four assists, one rebound, and one block, going 0-4 from the field and 0-2 from three in 19 minutes. In the past two games, he's combined six points on an inefficient 2-13 from the field and 0-8 from beyond the arc with poor shot selection.
Glaring defensive concerns surrounding Henderson also remain unresolved, as he has the worst on-court defensive rating on the team at 120.39.
The one silver lining is that he's looked improved as a playmaker, playing much more under control, resulting in just two turnovers in the past two games. But he's almost playing too under control to the point where he's not taking advantage of the skillset and athleticism that made him a top prospect in the first place. He looks timid at times, whether passing up an open three or not being aggressive enough to initiate the offense himself.
Some of that responsibility also falls on Chauncey Billups. He primarily played Henderson off the ball alongside Simons, which doesn't play to his strengths.
Henderson may not be the answer, but Blazers must set him up for success before deciding
The Blazers need to have a serious conversation with Henderson regarding his recent struggles. The expectations this season were that Henderson would be more consistent and improve in key areas with more NBA experience, but the stats and eye test show he's very similar to the player he was last year.
The Blazers aren't doing him any favors, relegating him to a bench role, limiting his minutes, and putting him inopportune positions to succeed on the court. GM Joe Cronin said that a primary goal from this season is to gain more clarity. If they continue at this rate, they will go another season without figuring out what they actually have in their former No. 3 overall pick.
The Blazers need to figure out how to put him in the best position to succeed, whether that's promoting him to a starting role and playing him 30-plus minutes a game, relegating him to the G-League to get his confidence back, or, most likely, somewhere in between. That answer could come from having a much-needed uncomfortable conversation with Henderson about what he can do better and what the Blazers can do to help him achieve that.
Even if Henderson does come off the bench, he needs to get more minutes and be the primary ballhandler when he's in. It's a waste of a season not to know what they have in him. Portland must give Henderson more frequent and optimal chances to succeed in order to make a fair and accurate evaluation going forward.
Hopefully, the answer comes this season because if Scoot isn't the Blazers' long-term answer at point guard, they could address it in the 2025 NBA Draft, where they seem poised to have another top-ten pick.