Ranking the 10 Blazers who need to play the most minutes the rest of this season

Which young players should get the most run down the stretch and where do the vets fit in?

Jabari Walker, Portland Trail Blazers
Jabari Walker, Portland Trail Blazers | Alika Jenner/GettyImages
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6. Malcolm Brogdon

There's a reason (more than one, apparently) that Malcolm Brogdon was nearly untouchable at the trade deadline. Portland values his veteran leadership, both on the court and off. The 31-year-old has allowed Billups and the Blazers to bring Henderson along at a reasonable pace, which has been vital given Scoot's early struggles.

While the rookie has improved over the last few months, Brogdon still needs to see the floor, not only as a mentor but as a productive reserve guard. In nearly 29 minutes per night, he's posting averages of 15.7 points and 5.5 assists while shooting 41.2 percent from three and consistently playing effective defense.

Brogdon's own struggles with injury will likely slow him down (like they are now), but with Shaedon Sharpe potentially out for the rest of the year and the likes of Ashton Hagans and Delano Banton the only other guards on the roster outside of Henderson and Simons, the veteran will be needed in the stretch run of the regular season.

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