After a rocky rookie season, concerns remained about Scoot Henderson's transition into the NBA, particularly his shooting, decision-making, and defense. That was especially worrisome since the Trail Blazers' rebuild hinges on their highest draft investment in recent years, and not hitting on Henderson would set back their rebuild.
But the good news is that Henderson has addressed several of these glaring concerns in the 2024-25 season. The Blazers need to be patient in his development as he follows the path of other undersized guards who overcame early struggles to carve out successful NBA careers.
At just 21, many of his weaknesses will inevitably improve with experience. But the Blazers can also accelerate that growth by consistently increasing his playing time.
Blazers need to increase Scoot Henderson's playing time to take him to the next level
Despite Henderson's progress, his development has been hindered by how Chauncey Billups is handling his minutes. Henderson averaged 28.5 last season and is currently at 26.5 this season, including just nine starts.
The Blazers' active three-game losing streak has made their slim odds of making the Play-In Tournament even worse as they now find themselves four games back from the Dallas Mavericks for the ten seed with 17 games remaining. Portland's emerging backcourt of Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe would benefit if Billups prioritized development over wins during the final stretch of the season.
However, one issue that has plagued the Blazers' rebuild is the situation surrounding Billups. The Blazers don't want to pay for a second coach, so Billups will finish up the season, and the two parties will more likely than not be headed for a mutual parting.
Because of this, Billups has coached this season like an audition for his next job, focusing on short-term wins to boost his resume rather than prioritizing the Blazers' long-term future.
Playing Henderson closer to 30 minutes a night would significantly help his development. But it would also give Portland a clearer sense of what to do with Anfernee Simons, who could be a trade candidate this summer with his contract expiring at the end of the 2025-26 season.
Henderson has made significant strides this season, but inconsistencies remain, partially due to his fluctuating role. If he can prove that he's ready to take on an increased role, then the decision to trade Simons instead of extending him to what will likely be an overpay becomes much easier.