Andrew Schlecht, Alex Speers, and Fred Katz recently discussed which teams and players are under the most pressure heading into the 2025-26 NBA season on The Athletic NBA Daily podcast. Portland Trail Blazers high-flyer Shaedon Sharpe was identified as one of the young players already entering a make-or-break season.
"He's clearly a talented player, but it's unclear exactly how valuable a player he's going to be, which is a big reason why he hasn't gotten extended yet. And this season is setting up as the defining season of his young career," Speers said.
Shaedon Sharpe faces make-or-break season with Blazers
With Damian Lillard expected to miss all of 2025-26 as he continues rehabbing from a torn Achilles and Anfernee Simons landing with the Boston Celtics, the Blazers have cleared the runway for their up-and-coming guards, Scoot Henderson and Sharpe. It's a move that the majority of Blazers fans have been eager to see as Portland has needed to prioritize its young core more throughout its rebuilding process. These ascending guards finally get a golden opportunity to earn the keys to the backcourt, setting up a sink-or-swim situation despite being early on in their respective careers. And Sharpe, in particular, has the most riding on this year out of any player on Portland's roster.
"Shaedon has this opportunity -- I would say pressure -- to take on a much bigger scoring load alongside Deni Avdija. And it just so happens to be the season before his restricted free agency," Speers continued. "There is so much riding on this season for Shaedon Sharpe, both in terms of his future with the Blazers, but also in his standing with the league."
Can Sharpe impact winning at a high level?
It may not seem like it because of his midseason benching, but Sharpe quietly took a substantial leap forward last season. He averaged a career-high 18.5 points along with 4.5 rebounds and 2.8 assists. Still, the same concerns about Simons' "empty stats" and relative lack of impact on winning also apply to Sharpe.
Simons had the worst defensive rating on the Blazers roster last season (119.0), but Sharpe wasn't too far behind (117.2). His defensive lapses were a key factor in Chauncey Billups' decision to bench Sharpe, which catalyzed the Blazers' turnaround and push for a play-in spot.
Given his positional size at 6-foot-5 and elite athleticism, Sharpe at least has the physical tools, unlike Simons, to eventually become a more impactful defender. But he needs to figure out how to be more assertive as a two-way player sooner rather than later; Portland will have to make key decisions surrounding his looming extension/restricted free agency and their overall backcourt situation next offseason, especially with Lillard back in the picture.
Sharpe is undeniably talented, but he doesn't want to become known as a bucket-getter who doesn't impact winning. He needs to become a more complete player, particularly as a defender, to help the Blazers contend out West.