Here's the latest Portland Trail Blazers news for Feb. 5, including just how impressive Scoot Henderson has been, the Sacramento Kings' reported interest in Jerami Grant, and is it just a coincidence Grant and Brogdon sat out last night's game against the Nuggets?
Jerami Grant, Malcolm Brogdon late scratches in Denver
Grant was listed as questionable with a back issue going into last night's game against the Nuggets. Brogdon appeared on the injury report later in the day with a right knee contusion. Neither played in the loss to the defending NBA champions.
Is it a coincidence the team's two most attractive trade assets were held out of a Feb. 4 game leading up to a Feb. 8 trade deadline? An optimist would say yes. All reports around Portland point to a desire for the Blazers to hold onto both players and both players wanting to remain in Rip City.
We'll find out for sure on Thursday by noon PT.
Scoot Henderson is one of the NBA's best rookies
It was a slow start for the No. 3 overall pick in last June's draft (the word "bust" was ridiculously, absurdly, unnecessarily, hurriedly, negligently thrown around) but Scoot Henderson has been one of the best rookies in the league since Christmas.
Since Dec. 26, Scoot is fourth in the NBA among all rookies in scoring (14.5 points per game), fifth in minutes (27.2), second in free-throw attempts (4.2; he's missed once since Jan. 14) and is tied for second-most with three double-doubles.
Henderson is eighth in 3-point percentage (36.7) among 17 players attempting at least three 3-pointers per game and, maybe most importantly, leads all rookies in assists (and is nearing a 2:1 assist-to-turnover ratio).
That's a number-dump way of saying that if we take away the first few months of Scoot's rookie season, the entire narrative around him changes. Nationally no one's noticing, but he's proving to be a true point guard who makes good decisions, hits open shots and racks up points by getting to the rim.
.@thereal013 is the first @trailblazers rookie to post 30+ pts in multiple games in his first season since Damian Lillard. His 30 pts @ DEN marked the most pts by a rookie off the bench this year. Scoot is also just the second rookie to record multiple 20+ pt halves this season. https://t.co/pE7zm46stL
— Trail Blazers PR (@TrailBlazersPR) February 3, 2024
Sacramento Kings interested in Jerami Grant
It's a rumor that's been around for a while, but it bears repeating when a beat reporter mentions it again: The Sacramento Kings are interested in trading for Jerami Grant, per James Ham of Kings Beat (h/t HoopsRumors).
The 29-year-old forward should be of interest to a number of playoff-bound teams as a versatile defender, scorer and 40.9 percent 3-point shooter, but Portland wants him and Grant wants Portland.