Much has been said about the Portland Trail Blazers and their guards. People had doubts about Micah Nori’s system due to a logjam at the guard position. While Damian Lillard and Ja Morant have gotten along well, Scoot Henderson‘s struggles seem to be a problem for the Blazers.
Despite all the doubters, the Blazers have surprised the NBA world with a strong start to the season. Before their 124-118 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday, the Blazers were the #1 seed in the Western Conference. The guards, in particular, have played well, including Jrue Holiday.
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Morant was excellent before his injury, while Lillard has returned to his form before the torn Achilles tendon. Unfortunately, Henderson has had a nightmare start to the season despite Nori’s system thriving with positive results.
Henderson Has Become A Troubling Blazers Problem
When the Trail Blazers picked Henderson third overall in 2023, the vision was always to pair him with Lillard. General manager Joe Cronin had a guard logjam back then because he already had Lillard and Anfernee Simons, but he still picked up Henderson.
While some will argue that Cronin was pushing Lillard out, the front office told Blazers fans that was the vision. Of course, Lillard ended up requesting a trade, so he went to the Milwaukee Bucks. He played two seasons there before returning to Portland after rupturing his Achilles tendon.
The logical move at the time would have been to trade Simons as well, but the Blazers persisted with him, which blocked Henderson’s path. Due to limited minutes and injuries, Henderson’s development was stunted. Now, it seems he missed out on valuable reps, and Henderson’s struggles are worrying Blazers fans.
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During the 2026-27 NBA season, Henderson is averaging 7.9 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game. He is shooting 31.7% from the field and 19.4% from beyond the arc. Those are woeful numbers, and people have called him a problem for the Blazers because he is hurting the team.
Portland Trail Blazers guard Scoot Henderson (00) moves the ball against Los Angeles Lakers guard Quentin Grimes (5) during the first half at Crypto.com Arena. Photo Credit: Gary A. Vasquez, Imagn Images via Reuters Connect
Nori’s System Should Help Henderson Improve
Amid Henderson’s struggles, the fans are worried because they know that Nori’s system should be a good fit for him. Henderson and Morant have similar play styles as athletic point guards who want to make plays for their teammates by getting into the paint and going from there. The same goes for Deni Avdija, who is also a downhill threat.
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Over the past three seasons, Henderson has shown some promising flashes. That is why the Blazers fans are still quite high on him, but this start to the 2026-27 season has been disappointing. He was extremely good during the preseason, so this is a sharp left turn from what Portland’s fans know about their young guard.
Morant is still sidelined for a few weeks, so Henderson has opportunities to bounce back. However, the fans’ patience is running thin, but thankfully for him, he has Nori’s trust. The Blazers head coach has consistently praised Henderson,n even though Henderson has not had his best performances.
With this kind of player-coach approach, Henderson could be a much better problem for the Blazers. Moving forward, Henderson must do better now that he is in the spotlight. Henderson needs to step up if he wants to get that contract in the offseason.
Portland Trail Blazers guard Scoot Henderson (00) brings the ball up the court during the first quarter against the Utah Jazz at Delta Center. Photo Credit: Chris Nicolli, Imagn Images via Reuters Connect
Henderson’s Struggles Could Have Long-Term Implications
Henderson is under pressure to perform and live up to his reputation as a top pick. During the lead-up to the 2023 NBA Draft, he was hyped as a generational prospect, much like Victor Wembanyama. Nowadays, Wembanyama is in a different stratosphere, while Henderson is still struggling.
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The expectations for him now are not Wembanyama-level, but he does have to perform so he can perform better in the future. There are implications for his play because he was not handed a rookie-scale extension in the offseason. Henderson has made improvements year after year, but that has not been apparent this season.
The Blazers seem to believe in him despite some teams inquiring about a trade. It will certainly be an interesting season for Henderson, as he will want to fight for a big contract. Given how he has played in recent games, he needs to step up if he wants that new deal.
More NBA News:
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Jrue Holiday’s New Role Has Made Him An Early Award Favorite
Ja Morant’s Injury: How The Blazers Will Have To Adjust
Why The Blazers’ Guards Are Working To Start The Season
Photo Credit: Gary A. Vasquez, Imagn Images via Reuters Connect
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: Sports.yahoo.com
