Way-too-early 2023 NBA Re-draft: Where do Scoot Henderson and Toumani Camara end up?

No. 3: Portland Trail Blazers select Amen Thompson

Original pick: Scoot Henderson

The re-draft gets shaken up with the third pick, and unfortunately, it's the Portland Trail Blazers' selection. Scoot Henderson could easily have a better career than Amen Thompson due to his untapped potential as long as he becomes a more efficient shooter and playmaker. However, early signs indicate that Thompson would have been the better pick for Portland.

The Houston Rockets rookie received NBA All-Rookie Second Team honors after averaging 9.5 points, 6.6 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.3 steals on 54/14/68 shooting splits. To put it nicely, Thompson doesn't shoot the ball well at this point in his career; this could be concerning for the Blazers, who finished dead last in three-point accuracy. However, being the best available prospect here, Thompson trumps any shooting needs for Portland.

Thompson is someone that Portland could construct their roster around and compensate for this weakness by surrounding him with two-way shooters. Especially since they are so early in their rebuild, it is easier to target these complementary pieces in the future. Thompson is a poor shooter but contributes in almost every other aspect by utilizing his 6-foot-7 frame, athleticism, and two-way skillset.

Between Thompson and Shaedon Sharpe, the Blazers would have arguably the most athletic backcourt in the NBA, although there's certainly already a case to be made for that with Henderson. One thing that Thompson provides over Henderson that would be particularly appealing for Portland is his positional size. They could wind up constructing their roster around having long, switchable defenders. It would be a pleasant, fresh start after going through the Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum era and experiencing something similar with Anfernee Simons and Scoot Henderson.