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The Portland Trail Blazers' brief experiment with Scoot Henderson in the starting lineup is coming to an end. According to NBA insider Chris Haynes of NBA on Prime, Henderson will return to a reserve role, and Sidy Cissoko will get the start at guard for Tuesday's matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Moda Center.
Haynes broke the news via a post on X (formerly Twitter), stating: "After starting the last 5 games, the Portland Trail Blazers are moving Scoot Henderson back to a reserve role and Sidy Cissoko will get the start tonight against the Oklahoma City Thunder, sources tell me." The decision comes even though Ja Morant, whose hamstring injury initially opened the door for Henderson, remains sidelined.
During his five-game stint as a starter, Henderson's production was underwhelming. He averaged just 9.2 points while shooting 31.6% from the field and a dismal 21.1% from three-point range on 3.8 attempts per game. His offensive rating of 97.4 ranked second-worst on the team, and his minus-11.3 net rating was the worst overall. The Trail Blazers won the first three games with Henderson starting but dropped the next two, which likely influenced the coaching staff's decision to make the change.
Key Analysis
Henderson, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft behind Victor Wembanyama and Brandon Miller, has yet to justify the hype surrounding his selection. Now in an expiring contract year, his recent struggles and subsequent benching in favor of Cissoko—a second-round pick from the same draft class—are troubling indicators for his development. The Trail Blazers enter Tuesday's game against the Thunder with a 6-3 record and on a two-game losing streak, hoping the lineup change sparks a turnaround.
Originally reported by yahoo.