Trail Blazers must make this crucial roster-building decision this summer
By Reese Kunz
The Portland Trail Blazers' up-and-coming guard trio of Scoot Henderson, Shaedon Sharpe, and Anfernee Simons only played 13 games in the 2023-24 NBA regular season. In those 13 games, the Blazers finished with a record of 2-11. Although it was a small sample size, it was apparent that the trio, although promising individually, doesn't fit together as a whole.
In one of those games, Henderson posted a plus-minus of -56 (somehow only the second-worst plus-minus of his career). Something has to give this offseason. The question is, which two of the Blazers' three promising backcourt players should they build around?
The case for building around Scoot Henderson
Scoot Henderson had a relatively disappointing season when considering expectations of being the No. 3 overall pick. Despite averaging a solid stat line for a rookie of 14 points, 5.4 assists, and 3.1 rebounds, Henderson was excluded from both NBA All-Rookie teams. A significant reason why Henderson didn't make the cut was due to his overall inefficiency. The rookie guard shot 38.5 percent from the field, 32.5 percent from beyond the arc, and committed an average of 3.4 turnovers per game.
It was an up-and-down rookie year for Henderson, but he did show progress as he gained more experience and comfortability in the NBA. Guards typically take longer to adjust to the NBA, and Henderson was no exception. In the 19 games post-All-Star break, Hendersons' numbers increased to 16.6 points and 7.1 assists per game, along with 40/35/82 shooting splits.
It wasn't as smooth of a transition as many had hoped. However, Henderson still showed glimpses of his strengths and skill set, particularly his ability to utilize this athleticism to get downhill and create opportunities for his teammates. It's too early in Henderson's career to definitively say he was a good or bad pick, which means it's too soon to give up on the No. 3 pick. Until he has enough time to prove otherwise, Henderson should be considered a foundational part of Portland's rebuild.