General manager Joe Cronin took the Portland Trail Blazers' roster in an interesting direction this summer. Portland made a win-now trade for Jrue Holiday, took a gamble on Yang Hansen in the draft, added another aging star in (an injured) Damian Lillard, and rounded out their 15-man roster with the signing of Blake Wesley.
That's a lot to sort out. But Cronin has been consistent with his vision throughout Portland's rebuild: stockpile assets and figure the rest out later.
That's the right approach for a young roster with many moving parts. But that line also got blurred with the number of veterans Portland has and their win-now aspirations. It leaves head coach Chauncey Billups in a tough spot, particularly when deciding who should be in the starting lineup.
The case for starting Scoot Henderson
It would be shocking if building blocks Deni Avdija and Toumani Camara aren't part of that starting unit. And the center spot is Donovan Clingan's until Hansen proves otherwise. That likely means only two spots remain between Holiday, Scoot Henderson, Shaedon Sharpe, and Jerami Grant.
Billups could take this in several different directions. But the most interesting decision pertains to former No. 3 overall pick Henderson. And the logical answer is to start him, for better or worse.
Portland's offseason moves have cleared the path for Henderson to have an increased role in Year 3. Scoot deserves that opportunity, given the draft capital invested in him and the improvements shown in his second season.
He had a concerning rookie season and was prematurely written off as a bust. But Henderson quietly bounced back in 2024-25. Offensively, Henderson was an improved decision maker and shooter, cutting down his turnovers (3.4 to 2.7 per game) and increasing his efficiency (39/33/82 to 42/35/77). Meanwhile, his defensive rating improved from 120.1 to 116.8 -- a crucial component for earning a starting spot under Billups.
The combination of Portland's moves and Henderson's development is perfect timing for a breakout campaign. That was essentially by design for the Blazers. They aren't quite handing Henderson the keys to the backcourt, but they are giving him a learner's permit to prove that he's ready for his license.
It's also great timing on the Blazers' end with Lillard likely out for the entirety of the 2025-26 season. They get a full season to evaluate Henderson in an increased role before determining the backcourt hierarchy when everyone is fully healthy. That's a terrific approach to a complicated situation with so many question marks surrounding Henderson's growth, Lillard's return, and how Holiday fits into all of this (if at all).
Henderson's evaluation must take precedence this season. There's no better opportunity than 2025-26 to find out if he's their long-term answer at point guard, when he'll be forced into a sink-or-swim situation. The best way to get that much-needed clarity is to start him and let the results speak for themselves.