Portland Trail Blazers point guard Scoot Henderson has yet to play in the 2025-26 season after suffering an untimely hamstring tear. He was initially given a timeframe of four to six weeks, which we are now well past -- an unfortunate theme for multiple Blazers players this season. Portland finally provided an update on Henderson's injury status, who is now set to be reevaluated in two more weeks.
That's awfully close to the Feb. 5 trade deadline, especially since reevaluating a player doesn't imply his imminent return. With that being the case, it's possible that the Blazers trade their former No. 3 overall pick before he's even able to play a game for them this season.
Could the Trail Blazers really trade Scoot Henderson?
Portland is expected to be a potential buyer at the deadline, and while Henderson hasn't been directly linked in rumors to the extent that Robert Williams III or even Jerami Grant has, trading him could make sense depending on the direction they want to take their roster.
It's an interesting development. Not too long ago, Scoot was considered a coveted prospect who could catalyze Portland's rebuild and become the next face of the franchise. Two seasons later, Henderson has not met those lofty expectations.
He's not the bust many prematurely declared him to be, but he's a borderline starter, averaging 12.7 points, 5.1 assists, and 3.0 rebounds on 42/35/77 shooting splits last season.
It's essential to stress patience as Scoot is just 21 years old and showed promising signs of improvement from a shaky and concerning rookie season. At the same time, he shouldn't be considered off limits.
Henderson's expendability increased this offseason with Portland bringing in two aging star guards, Jrue Holiday and Damian Lillard. Holiday played well in Henderson's absence before going down with an injury of his own, while Lillard's patient rehab approach should pay dividends next season. Additionally, Deni Avdija has proven capable of stepping up in an increased role as the primary offensive initiator.
This all leaves Scoot's role in question, even if he does return before a trade. Is he just a long-term backup point guard? It's hard to fully evaluate his career trajectory, but it's possible Portland has already made up its mind regarding whether they truly consider him to be a building block.
Of course, this all depends on how aggressive the Blazers decide to be at the deadline. If they do wind up pursuing someone like Trey Murphy III -- who the New Orleans Pelicans are listening to offers for but maintaining a high price tag intended to deter teams -- then Henderson could be the odd man out of Portland's young core.
And in some ways, Portland's offseason moves and his injury have already made him the odd man out.