Part of the reasoning behind trading for an expensive 35-year-old Jrue Holiday was that he could serve as a bridge. Holiday would be Portland's starting point guard, taking the pressure off of a 21-year-old Scoot Henderson. Having him on the roster would buy Henderson more time to develop at the guard position, which typically takes years to figure out. It would no longer be a make-or-break season for Scoot.
All of this could go out the window depending on Holiday's health.
The veteran guard last played on Nov. 14, suffering a calf strain that was initially given a 1-2 week timeline for re-evaluation. We're now well past that.
Portland finally provided an update on the status of their players' injuries, but Holiday still remains without a return timeline. Meanwhile, Henderson is set to be reevaluated in two weeks, meaning it's possible see him back before Holiday.
Scoot Henderson could face make-or-break scenario without Jrue Holiday
If Holiday really is out for another extended stretch, it's going to put the spotlight back on Henderson. Portland desperately needs another playmaker and ball-handler to help out rising star Deni Avdija. Scoot may or may not be ready to take on that increased role.
Henderson has had an underwhelming start to his career relative to the expectations surrounding him as a coveted prospect and No. 3 overall pick in 2023. He had one of the worst rookie seasons in history by plus/minus, struggling with efficiency, defense, turnovers, and overall decision-making -- essentially every aspect of his game.
To his credit, Henderson shed that bust label with an improved second season. His scoring and assists dipped, but he was playing much more winning basketball, letting the game come to him rather than constantly forcing the issue. If he's able to build off that season and take yet another leap, the Blazers could be in good shape going forward, even without Holiday. But that's a big and risky if.
Portland's biggest positional question mark for a long-term starter has suddenly become the point guard spot. If Henderson comes back before Holiday and has to take the keys to the backcourt immediately, it could give Portland more clarity on how their point guard situation is going forward, for better or worse.
The silver lining of that is the Blazers could use this information to help determine how to navigate February's trade deadline. But there's a serious risk attached to throwing Scoot into the fire. Portland realized that and tried to mitigate that risk by bringing in Holiday this summer, but they may have no choice if he doesn't get healthier soon.