Fischer’s Latest: Blazers’ Backcourt, Young, Hawks, Rockets
The Trail Blazers expect Damian Lillard to be back next season, but his return raises questions about the direction of Portland’s backcourt moving forward, Jake Fischer writes for the Stein Line (subscriber link).
The Blazers have Jrue Holiday under contract for at least one more season – he holds a $37.2MM player option for 2027/28 – as well as former No. 3 overall pick Scoot Henderson, who had a torrid start to the first-round series against the Spurs before going cold in the final two games.
The team believes that Lillard and Holiday can function well together in the backcourt, according to Fischer, but with a long-term decision still to be made on Henderson, it’s possible the Blazers could look to open up minutes for the young guard, who averaged 15.0 points per game in his first career playoff series, by moving Holiday in a trade.
The veteran guard and two-time NBA champion said he’d prefer for that not to happen.
“I don’t like being traded and moved,” Holiday said. “I like being a part of something and building.”
We have more from Fischer’s latest newsletter:
- While rumors have circulated about Anthony Davis‘ future with the Wizards, including reports of potential interest from Portland, Fischer notes that the expectation remains that Washington will come to terms on a lucrative long-term extension for star point guard Trae Young. Young played just five games for the Wizards after being traded from the Hawks, averaging 15.2 points and 6.2 assists in 20.8 minutes per game.
- After a successful season followed by a devastating Game 6 blowout at the hands of the Knicks, the Hawks are not expected to go star-hunting this summer, despite having a handful of very good trade assets. Instead, the team is expected to focus on locking in deals for CJ McCollum, Jonathan Kuminga, and head coach Quin Snyder, who has one more year on his contract, Fischer reports. He adds that Bryson Graham, the vice president of basketball operations, remains in play for the Bulls’ head of basketball operations job.
- The Rockets came to terms with not being a true championship contender when they lost Fred VanVleet to an ACL tear before the season, but a first-round loss to the Lakers and chemistry questions surrounding Kevin Durant could lead to an “all options on the table” summer outlook, Fischer writes, especially given the possibility that players like Kawhi Leonard, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Donovan Mitchell hit the trade block. Houston’s front office will now take stock of the team’s current ceiling and decide from there whether the roster needs margin tweaks or more substantial changes. Fischer adds that Amen Thompson is expected to be in the mix for a max contract extension after averaging 19.2 points, 7.0 rebounds, 5.7 assists, and 2.0 steals per game in his first playoff run, a year after being voted onto the All-Defensive first team.
Blazers Notes: Camara, Splitter, Offseason, Dundon
After being eliminated from the playoffs in a Game 5 loss in San Antonio on Tuesday, young players like Toumani Camara, Scoot Henderson and Deni Avdija came away encouraged by the Trail Blazers‘ first postseason appearance in five years, writes Joe Freeman of The Oregonian.
“My first two years, I was trying to figure out what the main goal was for this team, where we’re trying to go, what we have, what was our mission,” Camara said. “Well, now we have more of a clear view of what we can do and what we can accomplish. So I think it’s very promising. We have a lot of talent. We have a group of great-character guys. I’m just very excited for what we’ve got coming.”
As Freeman notes, Portland overcame a significant amount of adversity to make the playoffs. Head coach Chauncey Billups was placed on indefinite leave following the first game of the season after being arrested on federal charges related to illegal gambling, and the team endured several injuries throughout 2025/26.
“We had a crazy year, man,” Camara said. “We’ve battled all year. It’s a tough league. It’s a tough league to win. But we stuck together, believed in one another throughout all the ups and downs, and I think it was a positive season for us, especially the way we were able to end things. We didn’t get the results or play the way we wanted during the playoffs. But it was our first time for a lot of us and we’re learning, still trying to build connection. I think it’s only positive things and nowhere to go but up from here.”
Here’s more on the Blazers:
- A year ago, Bill Oram of The Oregonian was skeptical of the team’s direction, but he viewed this season as a major success and now believes the Blazers are trending in a positive direction. Oram argues fans shouldn’t lose perspective on all the promising developments of ’25/26, despite the team being overmatched against the Spurs.
- Veteran wing Matisse Thybulle lauded Tiago Splitter‘s performance as interim head coach, according to Brenna Greene of KOIN News (Twitter video link). “There’s a term where, if its late in the shot clock and someone throws you the ball because they don’t have a good look and you have to shoot it with no time left, they call it a grenade. In a sense that’s kind of what Tiago was thrown,” Thybulle said. “… It’s in some cases a bit of miracle, but in our world, even if you overachieve, it can still be disappointing to people. … As far as I’m concerned, Tiago did an amazing job.”
- Thybulle is one of many Blazers who’s supportive of Splitter, according to Sean Highkin of The Rose Garden Report (subscriber link), who thinks the former NBA big man has “more than earned” the full-time job. Finding a permanent head coach will be the first order of business in Portland, but there are several other big questions facing the team this summer, Highkin writes, mostly centered on new owner Tom Dundon and how his involvement will impact the organization going forward. Highkin views Camara, Avdija and Donovan Clingan as the team’s core, with shooting an obvious area of need going forward.
- Within his offseason preview, ESPN’s Bobby Marks also points to Dundon as a wild card this summer, since he may or may not push the team to be ultra-aggressive. Robert Williams and Thybulle are among Portland’s potential free agents, with Henderson eligible for a rookie scale extension.
- Dundon has been heavily criticized for a series of cost-cutting measures in his first month-plus as major owner. However, he recently opened his wallet to make another investment in pickleball, per Ben Axelrod of Front Office Sports.
Northwest Notes: Henderson, Watson, Gobert, Edwards
It hasn’t been an easy season for Scoot Henderson, who didn’t play until February due to a torn hamstring. In fact, it’s been an up-and-down first three years in the league for the guard selected third overall by the Trail Blazers in the 2023 draft.
However, Henderson enjoyed a career night on Tuesday, scoring 31 points in a 106-103 victory that tied the series with the Spurs at one game apiece. His head coach, Tiago Splitter, was blown away by the performance, Ramona Shelburne writes for ESPN.
“I don’t know if I have words for it,” Splitter said. “That was the best game of the season for him, maybe his career. To have a game like that in playoffs against a great team like the Spurs, it’s something else. Not just offensively, but defensively. He carried us, scored when we needed, got stops and really won a game for us.”
Henderson, at one point, was considered the 1B draft prospect to Victor Wembanyama‘s 1A, which led to the two players facing off in an exhibition game when the point guard was with the G League Ignite and Wembanyama was still a member of the Metropolitans 92. Both players showed the best of what they could do in that exhibition, but since then, Henderson has dealt with injuries and has struggled to find his rhythm.
“I’m so blessed to even play in a situation like this,” Henderson said. “Playoffs, third year, younger team, with great vets. The picture couldn’t have painted itself better.”
We have more from around the Northwest Division:
- Peyton Watson is still working his way back from a hamstring strain as he seeks to get back on the court for the Nuggets. He has been ruled out for Game 3 of the series against the Wolves, but was able to get some work in on the side of Denver’s practice today, Anthony Slater writes for ESPN. Vinny Benedetto of the Denver Gazette adds (via Twitter) that Watson was mostly working out with and against the coaching staff on Wednesday.
- The Timberwolves believe that Rudy Gobert‘s performance against Nikola Jokic through two games is emblematic of why voters made a grave mistake this season, Tyler King writes for The Denver Gazette. “It’s a joke that he wasn’t a finalist for Defensive Player of the Year,” head coach Chris Finch said after the Wolves won Game 2. King notes that Jokic went 1-for-8 in Game 2 when guarded by Gobert, and seven of those shots came in the fourth quarter. “I know who I am,” Gobert said. “It’s not the first time I get disrespected, probably not the last. If they want to disrespect greatness, take it for granted or whatever, sooner or later, they’ll realize the impact.”
- Anthony Edwards‘ stats for the Timberwolves in Game 2 were impressive, but it was his “superstar energy” as he fought through pain in his knee that really fueled his team, writes Dave Campbell of The Associated Press. “It definitely uplifts me,” Julius Randle said. “I feel like I can’t let him down. If he’s out there battling, then there’s no excuse why I can’t give my best and make the extra effort plays and just go out there and compete at the highest level.” Edwards finished the game with 30 points and 10 rebounds despite clearly being bothered by the knee ailment that kept him out for 11 of the team’s last 13 regular season games.
Trail Blazers Notes: Splitter, Head Coach, Avdija, Scoot
Tiago Splitter has done an admirable job as the Trail Blazers‘ interim head coach, guiding the team to its first playoff appearance in five years while overseeing the development of several key young players, writes Joe Freeman of The Oregonian (subscriber link).
However, there has been a lot of speculation about Splitter’s future with Portland, with multiple reports indicating new owner Tom Dundon doesn’t want to pay the going rate for even a first-time NBA head coach. Dundon himself suggested the team would look at other coaching options beyond Splitter.
Splitter, who purchased a home and moved his family from France when he was hired away as head coach of Paris Basketball to be an assistant last summer, pointed out that he has improved throughout the season and continues to get better. According to Freeman, Splitter chuckled and said he wasn’t sure how he’d approach his interview with Dundon about the position.
“I don’t know yet,” the 41-year-old said. “I’ve still got to think it through. I’ll probably just go with the facts, what happened, what I did and why I did it at that moment, why it worked or didn’t work. We’re going to go down with the facts.”
A former NBA big man, Splitter laughed when he was asked earlier in April if he wanted the job, replying, “Of course I do.” The Brazilian coach also had no issues with Dundon interviewing other candidates, Freeman writes.
“He’s probably going to interview a bunch of coaches and probably I’m going to be one of them,” Splitter said. “We’ll see what he wants from me and what he wants from the head coach, and we’ll see if I’m the best option or not. This is a normal thing to happen, right? When you buy a team for $4.25 billion, you probably want to make that decision. So it’s fair. I understand. I think he’s smart to wait and talk to other coaches. I would do the same. Right now, I’m not losing sleep because of it, honestly, I’m just trying to do the best I can and finish the season.
“But me and my family, we love it here. Honestly, before we came here, we were not sure if we would like it or not. But we love it. The outdoors — my kids are playing outside all day — and my wife says it feels like home. We love the city and we love the organization.”
Here’s more on the Trail Blazers:
- Splitter, who was previously an assistant in Brooklyn and Houston, took over for Chauncey Billups prior to the second game of the season after Billups was arrested on federal charges related to illegal gambling. Splitter recorded a 42-39 regular season record and has the support of the locker room, Freeman adds in the same story. Robert Williams, Toumani Camara and Deni Avdija are among the players who voiced their public support for Splitter. “Results speak for themselves,” Avdija said. “He was put into a challenging situation when he took over the team and we’ve had to use different rotations and guys all season. But I feel like he adjusted amazing through all that. I feel like he got the best out of everybody. We love playing for him. I appreciate the job he’s done and I respect him as a coach and a human.”
- In addition to his own team, Splitter has drawn praise from rival clubs as well. Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson is a fan of Splitter’s, per Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News. “I think Tiago’s crushed it,” Johnson said. “I think when you see their team, and they’ve had a lot of in and out and the rosters and lineups, the temperament that he’s had and being able to lead that team and just what they’ve done recently (it’s impressive). The way they finished and the way they’re playing is a testament to him and the way those guys are playing and fighting for him and each other.”
- Although Scoot Henderson admits the first three years of his career haven’t gone the way he imaged after being selected No. 3 overall in the 2023 draft, the former G League Ignite guard remains supremely confident in his abilities, according to Bill Oram of The Oregonian. Henderson still thinks he should have gone No. 1 that year, ahead of Victor Wembanyama, his opponent in the first round. “Hell yeah,” he said after a practice this week. “I do. I think I bring so much to any team I go on. I bring that winning mentality, my confidence in my game and my approach to the game.” As Oram writes, Henderson obviously hasn’t approached Wembanyama’s level as a player to this point in their careers, with Henderson essentially acting as undersized 3-and-D shooting guard when he re-entered the starting lineup a few years ago. Still, Henderson has a chance to show he’s part of the team’s long-term future with a strong series, Oram notes, and Henderson says he’ll do whatever he can to contribute. “The way I look at it,” Henderson said, “however I can get on the court, however long I can stay on the floor, whatever I got to do, I’m out there. I’m trying to do it, trying to get stops.”
Trail Blazers Notes: Avdija, Splitter, Dundon, Henderson
The Trail Blazers claimed a spot in the playoffs because Deni Avdija had his “superstar moment” in the team’s biggest game, writes Bill Oram of The Oregonian. Avdija exploded for 41 points in Tuesday’s play-in win at Phoenix, becoming just the fifth player to reach the 40-point mark in the tournament’s seven-year history. He hit the game-winning shot with 16.1 seconds left to play and drew contact that fouled out Dillon Brooks.
“I feel like he’s unique,” teammate Jrue Holiday said of Avdija. “Nobody does what he does. To be able to damn near have a triple-double, on kind of an off-night for him … is something you love to see in Deni because this is what we expect from him now.”
Oram views the victory as a statement game for not only Avdija, but also for interim head coach Tiago Splitter, who hopes to get the job on a permanent basis; for general manager Joe Cronin, who made some controversial moves that ultimately paid off; and for Jerami Grant, who scored 16 points in 19 minutes off the bench in his return from a calf strain.
Splitter was also impressed by Avdija, who delivered in his first opportunity to lead a team in the postseason.
“I don’t even think he had a great game,” Splitter said, “but he just kept going, kept believing in himself (and) scored a couple buckets at the end.”
There’s more on the Trail Blazers:
- Splitter has earned a new contract after leading Portland to its first playoff appearance in five years, Sean Highkin of The Rose Garden Report contends in a subscriber-only piece. He states that Splitter also delivered under pressure on Tuesday, calming the team during a time out midway through the fourth quarter that helped to reverse the momentum after Phoenix took an 11-point lead.
- There are concerns about whether new team owner Tom Dundon is willing to pay a competitive rate for a head coach, Oram states in another Oregonian story. Oram cites rumors around the league that Dundon wants his coach to earn about $1MM per year, roughly 25% of the typical salary for the position, which is why he’s looking at college coaches and ex-players such as Nuggets assistant Jared Dudley and Rockets assistant Royal Ivey, who might be willing to accept less money to get their first head coaching opportunity.
- Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated addresses the same theme, stating that Dundon is already expressing “sticker shock” at the high costs associated with being an NBA owner. Four sources tell Mannix that Dundon had several staffers check out of their Phoenix hotel rooms at noon ahead of Tuesday night’s game so the team wouldn’t be charged for an extra day. They spent hours in the hotel lobby waiting for the first bus to the arena.
- Scoot Henderson is finally getting a chance to be productive after injuries affected his first three NBA seasons. After missing the first 51 games this season with a torn left hamstring, the third pick in the 2023 draft has played his way into the starting lineup. “I never felt bad for myself,” Henderson said in an interview with Marc J. Spears of Andscape. “Even when [the injury] happened, I’m like, ‘I ain’t going to feel bad for myself.’ I just started laughing. I’m like, ‘All right. I see what’s happening. I see what the man above wants me to go through.’ I accepted it right when it happened. I’m into a different mode now. I’m at the recovery mode. I’m getting back healthy.”
Northwest Notes: S. Jones, Jay. Williams, Anderson, Henderson
The Nuggets would have liked to sign two-way standout Spencer Jones to a team-friendly multiyear deal when they promoted him to the standard roster from his two-way contract earlier this month, writes Bennett Durando of The Denver Post (subscription required).
However, Denver’s ability to make it worth Jones’ while was limited due to the team’s proximity to the tax line, and the second-year forward decided to bet on himself by not settling for a below-market offer. The Nuggets ended up doing a straight conversion of the 24-year-old two-way deal, which means he’ll earn the veteran’s minimum for the rest of the season but will be eligible for restricted free agency this summer.
“It was preferred (this way). I kind of wanted the optionality,” Jones said, per Durando. “And I love Denver. But I just wanted to keep the optionality open. I was happy they were able to let me do that. I’m really happy with the decision. Like I said, I love it here. Definitely want to stay here.”
While Jones’ rest-of-season minimum salary is modest by NBA standards ($623,967), it’s about the same amount he would’ve received if he had spent the entire season on his two-way contract ($636,435). And now he’ll no longer be restricted by a 50-game regular season limit and playoff ineligibility.
“It’s great to not have that little asterisk with the two-way anymore,” he said. “To fully feel like you’re part of the team. Obviously, everybody had embraced me (before), but it’s nice to get that contractually.”
Here are a few more notes from around the Northwest:
- With six regulars, including big men Chet Holmgren (low back spasms) and Isaiah Hartenstein (right soleus injury management) inactive on Wednesday, the Thunder still made the East-leading Pistons work hard to earn an eight-point win. As Rylan Stiles of SI.com notes, that was in large part due to the efforts of fill-in center Jaylin Williams, who had a career night with 30 points and 11 rebounds in the loss. Head coach Mark Daigneault described Williams’ performance as “unreal” and praised a few other role players, including Kenrich Williams and Brooks Barnhizer, adding, “It’s a game we can feel really good about despite the loss.”
- Timberwolves players are “elated” that Kyle Anderson will be rejoining the team after he clears waivers, according to Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic, who tweets that Anthony Edwards was FaceTiming with his former teammate on the way to the arena on Thursday. Anderson, who agreed to a buyout with Memphis and was placed on waivers, was a Timberwolf for two seasons from 2022-24.
- With leading scorer Deni Avdija in and out of the lineup due to a back issue and Shaedon Sharpe possibly done for the season, the Trail Blazers will be relying heavily on Scoot Henderson during the home stretch as they try to secure a playoff berth, writes Sean Highkin of the Rose Garden Report (Substack link). Henderson has shown little rust since returning from a hamstring tear on February 6, Highkin notes, scoring double-digit points in each of his first eight games back. The former No. 3 overall pick could set himself up well in rookie scale extension talks this offseason with a strong finish to the season.
Blazers Notes: Adelman, Poor Outing, Hansen, Henderson
David Adelman, the Nuggets’ head coach, grew up in the Portland area. He’s irked by the speculation that the Trail Blazers might be moved to another state, Ryan Clarke of The Oregonian writes.
“This was the best place to grow up,” Adelman said. “I loved it here. Still do. They’ve got to keep the team here. They’ve got to find a way to do that. This is a basketball city. The Northwest deserves two teams. (The team leaving) would be crushing for this community.”
The Trail Blazers are appealing to Oregon state legislators for $600MM in public funding to upgrade the Moda Center with the team in the process of being sold to Tom Dundon.
“I know there’s a lot to that, I know there’s financial things to it,” Adelman said. “That’s not my department. Emotionally, I just know what this place is and what it means to have a professional basketball team here. It’s not just something to go hang out at. It’s something go and be a part of. I hope this team maintains what’s going on here.”
Here’s more on the Trail Blazers:
- In their first game since the All-Star break, the Blazers were embarrassed by the Nuggets. Denver scored at will in a 157-103 thumping of Portland. The 157 points is the most scored in a road game in Nuggets history and the most by any NBA team this season. It was also the highest point total Denver had ever registered in regulation. “One of our worst games of the season,” Blazers acting head coach Tiago Splitter said, per Clarke. “The Nuggets had a sense of urgency to win this game. They lost last night, I think three of their last five games. And coming off the break, we were just not ready.” The Blazers will try to redeem themselves at Phoenix on Sunday. “I think we’ve got to bounce back on this,” Splitter said. “Go to Phoenix, bounce back same way (Denver) did. Lost last night, came here with that sense of urgency to win and do the right things. Effort, defense, talk, communicate, no putting your head down when you make a mistake, not running back, forget your matchup. So, all those little things are important in basketball games, and they were not there tonight.”
- Rookie center Yang Hansen got some advice from Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic, Hansen’s idol, according to Clarke. “He told me don’t get nervous all the time,” Hansen said via a translator. “He’s like, you’re a great player. Just go play.” The 16th pick of last year’s draft has appeared in 35 games but is averaging just 7.5 minutes in those outings.
- Scoot Henderson is no longer under a minutes restriction, Sean Highkin of the Rose Garden Report tweets. However, in the first game after the break Henderson played 21 minutes, about the same amount in his four prior games. Henderson missed the first 51 games due to a hamstring injury.
Northwest Notes: Nuggets, Henderson, Sharpe, Jazz
Injuries have been an issue all season long for the Nuggets, who are currently missing forward Aaron Gordon and swingman Peyton Watson, but the health-related news on Saturday was mostly positive. As Bennett Durando of The Denver Post details (subscription required), wing Cameron Johnson – who had been out since December 23 due to a bone bruise in his knee – returned and was effective vs. Chicago, finishing with 14 points on 6-of-9 shooting.
Star center Nikola Jokic, meanwhile, was listed as questionable to play on Saturday due to a mildly sprained ankle, but he suited up and dominated, racking up 22 points, 17 assists, and 14 rebounds — Denver outscored the Bulls by 36 points during Jokic’s 33 minutes on the floor en route to a 136-120 victory.
First-time All-Star Jamal Murray, who has been the Nuggets’ healthiest starter this season, exited to the locker room with about four minutes left in the game due to a hip issue, but he returned to the bench before the final whistle and didn’t seem concerned after the game about the apparent injury.
“He seemed confident that he was OK,” head coach David Adelman said, per Durando (Twitter link).
Finally, while two-way player Spencer Jones isn’t injured, he was inactive on Saturday for a second time in the past three games after having reached his 50-game limit. As Durando writes within an interesting profile of Jones for The Denver Post (subscription required), the team is preparing to move the second-year forward into one the two open spots on its 15-man roster, though it’s unclear when exactly that will happen.
Denver plays twice before the All-Star break – Monday vs. Cleveland and Wednesday vs. Memphis – and will need to promote Jones to a standard contract if it wants him available for those games.
We have more from around the Northwest:
- Making his season debut on Friday after recovering from a torn hamstring, Trail Blazers guard Scoot Henderson had 11 points and nine assists in 21 minutes as the team snapped a six-game losing streak with a victory over Memphis. Teammate Jerami Grant said Henderson played “amazing” following his lengthy layoff, per Joe Freeman of The Oregonian. Interim head coach Tiago Splitter wasn’t quite as effusive with his praise, but suggested he was very encouraged by the third-year guard’s performance. “He was impressive on defense,” Splitter said, according to Jason Quick of The Athletic. “He brought energy, he pushed the pace, made some shots. Still was room for improvement, but just good to see him competing.”
- As the Trail Blazers got one guard back, they lost another to an injury. Shaedon Sharpe exited Friday’s win due to calf soreness and didn’t play on Saturday. Still, as Sean Highkin of The Rose Garden Report points out (via Twitter), there are a couple encouraging signs on Sharpe — he’s listed as having “soreness” rather than a strain, and the injury is to his left calf, not the right one, which he strained earlier in the season. That right calf injury cost him four games in November.
- Walker Kessler is out for the rest of the season and will enter restricted free agency this summer, so there’s no guarantee that he, Lauri Markkanen, and Jaren Jackson Jr. will ever share the court together for the Jazz. But that’s certainly the plan in Utah — head coach Will Hardy tells Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune that he’s excited about the size, rebounding, and rim-protecting ability of his new frontcourt trio and that he’s confident they’ll fit together offensively too. “We’ve played with Lauri as the quote-unquote ‘three’ before during my time here, and Jaren is a really talented player,” Hardy said. “I think it’s going to be good to get him in the building and around the team so that we can become and I can become more familiar with what his capabilities really are. You have all these preconceived notions of players when you coach against them, but they’re being asked to play within some type of a system wherever they are, and so it’ll be fun to explore those things with him and make him a part of the conversation in terms of what he thinks he can offer.”
Blazers Notes: Deadline, Cissoko, Love, Thybulle, Krejci, Arena
After making a minor move at the start of the week to acquire Vit Krejci from Atlanta, the Trail Blazers didn’t make any additional trades between Monday and Thursday. As Joe Freeman of The Oregonian writes, that was a relief to the Blazers’ players, who admitted to being nervous in the days leading up to the deadline.
“The players were joking around a little bit, (saying) ‘We’re all back,'” interim head coach Tiago Splitter said on Thursday. “I get it. There’s a little bit of tension. But I’m glad everybody’s back. Everybody’s happy to be here and ready to move forward and finish the season.”
Although Portland didn’t shake up its roster in a major way, there will be some changes coming to the rotation. Krejci will have a chance to earn regular minutes, and point guard Scoot Henderson is making his season debut on Friday vs. Memphis after recovering from a hamstring tear. Forward Deni Avdija is out on Friday for a third straight game due to a low back strain, but when he returns, the Blazers will be as healthy as they’ve been all season.
“I’m happy to have that challenge, make them produce and excel at their positions,” Splitter said. “Guys that were used to playing more minutes (are) going to play a little less. Guys that were out (are) going to start to play more minutes and produce for us. We have still like 30 games or so left. Hopefully, this is the normal for us from now on.”
Here’s more on the Blazers:
- One downside of Portland’s deadline inactivity is that the team still has a full 15-man roster, with two-way players Sidy Cissoko and Caleb Love on track to reach their respective 50-game limits this month, writes Sean Highkin of The Rose Garden Report (Substack link). Highkin views Cissoko as the more likely candidate for a promotion, since he has a clearer role than Love when the team is healthy, and suggests Matisse Thybulle could be a buyout candidate. Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints (Twitter link) agrees that Thybulle could be the odd man out, though he says no decision has been made on the wing’s future yet.
- Krejci said earlier this week that he’s “very excited” to join the Blazers, adding that they have a “really great roster,” according to Freeman. “I think this team has a lot of good drivers and that opens (things) up,” Krejci said. “As a shooter, you love playing with guys like that, because they keep slashing, they keep going at the rim.”
- While the Trail Blazers’ basketball operations department ended up having a relatively quiet deadline, the organization’s business operations department is negotiating a crucial deal of its own. According to Bill Oram of The Oregonian, the Blazers continue to work with state, city, and county officials in an effort to secure roughly $600MM in funding viewed as necessary to upgrade the Moda Center and keep the team in Portland long term.
- As Oram details, Multnomah County is believed to be reluctant to commit approximately $40MM in business tax revenue from the Blazers’ sale to the arena renovation. The city of Portland is also receiving push-back on plans to pull as much as $75MM from a clean energy fund to put toward the project, according to Shane Dixon Kavanaugh and Oram of The Oregonian. Oregon governor Tina Kotek spoke to commissioner Adam Silver last week, per Oram, in an effort to reinforce her support for the arena deal and to ensure the team doesn’t consider relocation under a new ownership group led by Tom Dundon. The Blazers’ Moda Center lease agreement with the city runs through 2030.
Scoot Henderson On Track To Make Season Debut On Friday
Trail Blazers guard Scoot Henderson is expected to make his season debut on Friday when Portland hosts Memphis, head coach Tiago Splitter said today (Twitter link via Sean Highkin of the Rose Garden Report).
Henderson has yet to play in 2025/26 due to the left hamstring tear he suffered during a workout prior to training camp. When the Blazers first announced the injury in September, they indicated the third-year guard would be sidelined from basketball activities for about four-to-eight weeks.
However, general manager Joe Cronin told reporters on media day the following week that Henderson’s timeline for resuming basketball activities could extend beyond that initial projection, since hamstring injuries can be “stubborn” and tricky to handle. Over four months later, the 6’3″ guard — who turned 22 on Tuesday — is finally set to return.
The third overall pick in the 2023 draft, Henderson had an up-and-down rookie season but began to show real improvement in his second year in the NBA. In his final 35 games of the 2024/25 season, he averaged 14.2 points, 5.2 assists, and 3.1 rebounds in 27.5 minutes per game, with a shooting line of .434/.384/.766.
Henderson will join a backcourt rotation that features Shaedon Sharpe, Jrue Holiday, rookie Caleb Love, new acquisition Vit Krejci, and Blake Wesley, who recently returned from a lengthy injury absence of his own.
Henderson will be entering the final year of his rookie contract in 2026/27, so he’ll have an opportunity over the final two months of this season to make his case for a rookie scale extension. He becomes extension-eligible in July and would reach restricted free agency in 2027 if he doesn’t sign a new deal during the 2026 offseason.