A large runway has cleared for Portland Trail Blazers third-year guard Scoot Henderson as the team heads down the stretch run of the NBA season.
With fellow guard Shaedon Sharpe set to miss extended time due to a left fibula injury and point-forward All-Star Deni Avdija’s back continuing to hamper his availability, the only silver lining of the injury woes is they should give Henderson loads more minutes and touches to find his groove. In turn, the extended opportunity should give the Blazers front
office and fans a better idea of what they have in Scoot as we reach the end of Year 3 in the No. 3 overall pick’s career.
An extended look at Henderson is sorely needed after he missed the first 51 games of the season due to a torn left hamstring. Even before the injury, following two seasons of up-and-down play, this was considered a pivotal year for Henderson to cement his place as a foundational piece of Portland’s roster and perform with more consistency.
In eight games since his return, Henderson has been solid. He has averaged 13.6 points, 5.0 assists and 3.3 rebounds in 22.9 minutes per outing. He has shown flashes of the floor-bending athleticism, strength and talent that brought so much hype with his draft selection, while displaying a better on-court feel and high-level passing. But he has also continued to struggle with turnovers (3.3 per game) and his 3-point shot has been hot and cold through the limited sample size (27.9% on 5.4 attempts).
Henderson is eligible for a contract extension this summer. If that’s not signed, he’s up for restricted free agency next summer. Jrue Holiday is still on the roster and Damian Lillard is waiting in the wings. Decisions are coming soon about Henderson’s future with the franchise.
So, what do you want to see from Scoot over the final 22 games of the regular season and possible postseason? What is a stat line you find realistic for him to achieve as he settles into game rhythm again? What type of play would it take from Scoot for you to feel confident about his place with this franchise moving into the future?
Additionally, how do you want to see head coach Tiago Splitter and the rest of the Blazers coaching staff utilize Scoot in the offense?
Let us know in the comments below!
