The Portland Trail Blazers have a crowded backcourt after surprisingly adding Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant into the mix. Portland took what they viewed as a low-risk, high-reward swing on Morant, shipping Jerami Grant and Kris Murray to Memphis.
With this shocking blockbuster and Damian Lillard's return, Portland could have an entirely new starting backcourt next season. But where does that leave the likes of Jrue Holiday, Shaedon Sharpe, Scoot Henderson, and Blake Wesley?
Portland invested top-ten picks in Sharpe and Henderson to jump-start this rebuild. Now, they've largely become afterthoughts. Henderson, in particular, is going to have a difficult time breaking out in such a limited and inconsistent role.
Blazers put Scoot Henderson in an impossible position to succeed
With Deni Avdija's emergence as a point forward and Portland's plan to start both Morant and Lillard, it's hard to see a path for Henderson to reach his ceiling.
That's why many viewed last season as the make-or-break year for Henderson. With Lillard's gap year and Holiday's versatility, the point guard spot was his for the taking. Unfortunately, that momentum was derailed by an untimely hamstring injury suffered during an offseason workout. By the time Scoot had returned, the offensive hierarchy was already established.
He showed flashes of a star ceiling in Portland's first-round playoff matchup against the San Antonio Spurs, but disappeared in the second half of that series. Henderson struggles with consistency, but Portland isn't making it any easier for him to sort out those growing pains.
To his credit, Scoot has done an underappreciated job of redefining his role to still make an impact elsewhere. Portland isn't using him enough as a playmaker to reach that ceiling, but he is quietly providing value as a 3-and-D guard.
Carving out a role like that is going to be even more essential next season with a messy backcourt, especially given how much Morant, Lillard, and Avdija all prefer to play with the ball in their hands. Henderson's two-way skillset should allow him to play alongside Portland's newfound star power. But any chances of becoming a starter and earning the keys to the backcourt are officially gone.
Scoot Henderson's future in Portland just got murkier
Considering the sky-high expectations Blazers fans had for Henderson entering the 2023 NBA Draft, this is an underwhelming development to see someone who was supposed to be the face of a rebuild become an afterthought buried in the depth chart.
It would be one thing if Portland were contending, as it would be easier to justify not prioritizing its youth as much. But even with the upside trade for Morant, the Blazers still need one of Henderson or Sharpe to become a star to become a true contending threat.
In just a matter of one summer, Henderson has gone from having the opportunity of being considered Portland's long-term starting point guard to now being essentially the third-string point guard behind Lillard and Morant. Hopefully that star pairing can play effectively alongside each other, because if not, it's going to come at the expense of Henderson's role and minutes.
It has to be a frustrating demotion for Henderson, who is extension eligible this summer. Not only is his starting spot out of the question, but now his future in Portland is even murkier.
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