A crowded backcourt just got a little less crowded in Portland with the news that Ja Morant will be sidelined for at least a month with a Grade 2 left hamstring strain, according to reports.
The Trail Blazers’ Opening to the 2026-27 Season
The Trail Blazers got off to a terrific start to the season, losing for the first time Thursday night against the Memphis Grizzlies but still sitting at 3-1.
Through four games, Portland has an offensive rating of 120.3 (third in the league), a defensive rating of 112.9 (19th) and a net rating of plus-7.5 (seventh). The Trail Blazers have gotten contributions up and down the roster, with nine players logging at least 18 minutes per game.
All-Star Deni Avdija is leading the way for the Portland, averaging 22.8 points per game on 49% shooting. Franchise legend Damian Lillard has been inconsistent shooting the ball to start the year but has looked good physically in his return from an Achilles injury that sidelined him all of last season. He’s averaging 18.5 points while shooting 40% from the field and 35% from 3-point range in nearly 30 minutes per game.
Morant was arguably playing the best of any Trail Blazer to start the season. He exited in the fourth quarter Thursday night after 23 minutes of action with the hamstring injury, but he’s averaging 15.8 points on 54% shooting from the field and 43% from 3-point range, to go along with 5.5 assists in 25.8 minutes per game.
Another piece of Portland’s crowded backcourt is veteran guard Jrue Holliday. The 36-year-old is averaging 12 points, four rebounds and four assists in 25 minutes per game.
Henderson’s Early Struggles
The final member of the Trail Blazers’ backcourt (those playing 18-plus minutes) is Scoot Henderson. Portland chose not to extend the former No.3 overall pick earlier this month, allowing him to enter the final season of his rookie contract before becoming a restricted free agent.
So far this season, Henderson is averaging 7.5 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 19 minutes per game. He’s shooting 34% from the field and 12% from 3-point range.
For his career, Henderson is averaging 13.3 points, three rebounds and nearly five assists per game while shooting 40% from the field and 33.7% from 3-point range.
However, what has really plagued Henderson is his lack of availability through his first three seasons. He’s played just 158 regular-season games out of a possible 246. For someone who entered the league with the lofty expectations that come with being the third overall pick, it’s difficult to meet those standards when he can’t stay on the court.
With Morant sidelined for at least four weeks, Henderson will undoubtedly get an opportunity to help fill the void and possibly resurrect his career.
He’ll get his first chance to do so Saturday afternoon, when Portland travels to Utah to take on the Jazz.
Ja Morant’s Injury Opens the Door for Scoot Henderson