The Portland Trail Blazers had a surprising offseason, adding aging stars Damian Lillard and Jrue Holiday. It may not seem like it at first glance, but these were calculated moves by general manager Joe Cronin to free up opportunities in the backcourt for Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe.
Lillard suffered a brutal Achilles tear in Milwaukee's playoff loss to Indiana; he and the Blazers seem to be on the same page as far as taking an extremely patient rehab approach, given Lillard's age, the severity of the injury, and where the Blazers are in their rebuild. Additionally, Holiday is a significant downgrade in terms of offensive usage compared to the departed Anfernee Simons, especially at this point in Holiday's career.
With Lillard expected to be out for all of 2025-26 and Simons now out of the picture, Henderson and Sharpe will finally have the increased roles Blazers fans have been begging for, which could result in a breakout season for either guard.
All signs point to a breakout season for Scoot Henderson
It remains to be seen which of these young guards, if either, will be promoted to a starting role. It would be surprising if Portland willingly took on Holiday's $100+ million contract to bring him off the bench, even considering the mentorship aspect he offers. However, the importance of who starts is oftentimes blown out of proportion in the NBA landscape. What matters more are minutes, and the role a player has within those minutes. From that standpoint, Portland will give Henderson, in particular, a golden opportunity to take that next step.
The Blazers could have one of the league's premier defenses with their frontcourt trio of Deni Avdija, Toumani Camara, and Donovan Clingan. But outside of Avdija, they have very few playmakers, even when factoring in their deep, underrated bench. The Blazers will heavily rely on Henderson as a primary offensive initiator, and he'll rise to the occasion.
It's incredibly early in Henderson's career, but this season should be considered a sink-or-swim situation for him. The Blazers have given Scoot too short a window to prove himself, considering point guard is the most challenging position to learn, and they invested a No. 3 overall pick in him. The Blazers frontcourt is already solidified, with question marks remaining in their crowded backcourt. If Henderson doesn't step up, Portland will have to seriously consider drafting another point guard next summer. Not to mention, Lillard may also give Henderson a run for his money in 2026-27, depending on how close he returns to form.
Henderson took significant strides in his second season, but it wasn't quite reflected in his stats as his minutes and usage rate decreased. In his third season, he'll have the opportunity he had as a rookie, combined with his efficiency as a sophomore. Scoot will drastically benefit from a more stable role, resulting in his best season yet and confirming his spot as the Blazers' long-term solution at point guard.