Sam Vecenie of The Athletic recently reported that the Portland Trail Blazers are "pleased with the development [Scoot] Henderson made in the back half of the season."
That high praise could signal the end for Anfernee Simons in Rip City.
This important update comes after Aaron Fentress of The Oregonian referred to the likelihood of Simons staying in Portland as a "toss-up." "Unless an ideal trade presents itself, and the Blazers are convinced Henderson can run the team, Simons will return as the starting point guard," Fentress added.
Henderson’s growth is making it easier for the Blazers to move on from Simons
Putting two and two together, we can assume that since the Trail Blazers are pleased with Henderson's progress, they are becoming more comfortable with the idea of him taking over as their full-time starting point guard. If that is indeed the case, Simons becomes much more expendable, and the likelihood of moving on from him could increase as a result.
Henderson was a key contributor to Portland's young core, which led the team's late-season push toward the play-in tournament. He had a red-hot January in which he averaged 14.6 points, 5.3 assists, and 3.4 rebounds while shooting an efficient 48.4 percent from the field and 43.8 percent from deep.
That also included a career-high 39-point performance against the Brooklyn Nets, where he shot 8-of-10 from beyond the arc.
Henderson came back down to Earth, but his nonlinear progression is still trending in the right direction heading into his third season.
He impacts winning at a higher level and is much more under control, not trying to prove to the world that he's a star in every possession. Henderson's letting the game come to him rather than forcing the issue, and it's resulting in better shot selection and fewer turnovers. His season averages were similar to his rocky rookie year, but he's an entirely different player.
The obvious next step to unlock Henderson's high ceiling is to give him an increased role. Scoot's minutes decreased to 26.7 per game, and his usage rate dropped to 22.5 percent; that is head-scratching for a rebuilding team that recently invested a top-three pick into him, especially given his improved play. Moving on from Simons would clear the pathway for Henderson, setting him up for a breakout 2025-26 season.
Portland's growing confidence in Henderson couldn't have come at a better time, as they ideally need to decide on their backcourt before Simons hits free agency in 2026.