Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups will continue to experiment with different starting lineups throughout the preseason. But in the first variation of what a potential starting unit could look like, Billups elected to start Shaedon Sharpe. That's a decision that Blazers fans have been dying to see for quite some time now, considering Sharpe is an integral part of Portland's rebuild.
Sharpe rewarded Billups' decision with a game-high 22 points to go along with six rebounds and two assists in just 23 minutes of play. The most promising aspect of his game was Sharpe's three-point shot, which seemed to be improved from last season's 31%. In this contest, Sharpe shot 9-of-15 from the field and 4-of-8 from beyond the arc.
Shaedon Sharpe's breakout season has arrived
There were so many reports coming out of training camp regarding Sharpe becoming a more complete player, and those positive reviews immediately translated to Portland's first preseason game. If Sharpe maintains this level of two-way play as a floor spacer and defender, it will be impossible for Billups to keep him out of the starting five.
Billups benched Sharpe midseason, which was right around the time Portland's surprising turnaround happened. But Billups finally seems to understand that this team is only going to go as far as its young core takes them. The Blazers made win-now moves, such as the addition of Jrue Holiday, because they were betting on their youth taking another leap to match the timelines of their veterans. That appears to be the case with Sharpe, as everything -- improved defense and shooting, increased offensive role without Anfernee Simons, and a potential starting spot -- is aligning at the perfect time for a breakout season.
Sharpe has shown flashes of his star upside each season he's been in the league, and was previously ranked as the No. 1 prospect in his class (before reclassifying) for a reason. Portland needs to find more star power on its roster, and it can address that problem by giving Sharpe the keys to the backcourt.
With Damian Lillard out of the picture until the 2026-27 season and Scoot Henderson still recovering from a left hamstring tear, this is a perfect time for Sharpe to step up. And fortunately for Blazers fans who have been eagerly waiting for Sharpe to be made more of a priority, Billups finally seems to realize it.
Portland has three preseason games remaining, and it wouldn't be shocking if Sharpe comes off the bench in at least one while Billups continues to experiment. But when the time comes and the games are meaningful, it will be hard for Billups to return to his old ways -- not after what we've seen from Sharpe this summer.