Blazers Offseason Takeaways: Should Portland move on from Deandre Ayton?

3. Trail Blazers committed to young backcourt

On draft day, the Trail Blazers bolstered their depth at their center and wing positions. At the guard position, however, it's clear that Portland is not too interested in bringing in more talent because they are focused on the development of Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe, at least for the time being. This is further emphasized by the fact that the Blazers traded away Malcolm Brogdon to bring in Avdija.

Rather than falling back on Brogdon's reliable play, the Blazers are looking for Scoot and Sharpe to take on more prominent roles. The only question remains whether this will be alongside Anfernee Simons or if he will be moved soon. I believe that the Blazers will hold on to Simons for the time being. A healthy season from Simons, combined with the added quality defenders in Clingan and Avdija, could potentially combine for a solid season that will surprise fans around the NBA.

Scoot will be entering his second NBA season, and Sharpe will be entering his third. The Blazers hope to see significant improvements from their young guards and have them reach their fullest potential. Sharpe was drafted partly due to his freakish athleticism and sky-high potential, and it is no secret that the expectations placed on Scoot were to be the Damian Lillard replacement. So this season, provided both stay healthy, will hopefully be the first of many successful years for this young duo that can lead the Blazers back to relevancy.