Shaedon Sharpe was the No. 7 overall pick in 2022, kickstarting the Portland Trail Blazers rebuild. On the surface, the high-flyer has returned value for Portland, improving each year and averaging a career high 20.8 points per game this season. However, there are serious flaws to point out regarding Sharpe's two-way impact on winning, raising legitimate questions about his long-term fit and role in Portland.
Despite his positional size and physical tools, Sharpe remains one of the worst defenders on Portland's roster. They just traded away Anfernee Simons last summer to double down on their defensive identity. Could shipping Sharpe be the next piece of the puzzle?
The Blazers invested in him prior to the season, reaching a four-year, $90 million extension. So they don't have to decide on Sharpe's future anytime soon, giving them more time to evaluate whether he's able to put it all together to become a more complete player who impacts winning.
Blazers need Shaedon Sharpe to become a more complete player
If they don't trade him, Sharpe's best role for the next iteration of this Blazers roster could be that of a sixth man. That would still have value in itself, as Sharpe would provide scoring and shot creation for a team in need of both off the bench -- similar to Jerami Grant's role this season. But that would be quite the letdown for what was expected to be a key building block in this rebuild, and someone who possesses arguably the highest upside on this entire roster.
The Blazers' problem with Sharpe is that the idea of him as a player is better than the actual thing. He struggles with shot selection, three-point shooting, playmaking, and defense. That's not exactly what you want in your shooting guard, especially on a team that already has difficulty spacing the floor.
The best test for whether Sharpe should remain in Portland is to look at the Western Conference Finals and envision what Portland's roster would look like when they eventually reach that level. Teams like the Oklahoma City Thunder would likely never roster Sharpe, as he defeats the purpose of their established identity as a team that values defense, shooting, versatility, passing, and above all, playing as a collective unit.
Sharpe needs to become a more well-rounded player for his impressive counting stats to translate into a greater impact on winning. It's a fine line because Portland must be patient with his development as he's only 22 and continues to trend upwards. But he's also been called out for not having the best attitude, mentality, and work ethic. Blazers insider Sean Highkin of Rose Garden Report even mentioned on the HoopsHype show "Around the Beat" that if Sharpe had those traits on par with Scoot Henderson's, he would be Anthony Edwards.
That's quite a drastic difference and should be a red flag that Sharpe is not reaching his potential going forward. Given how closely Portland's ceiling is tied to Sharpe reaching his, that's a concern for the entire trajectory of their roster.
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