PORTLAND, Ore. — One other NBA common season ended with the league’s backside 10 groups principally taking part in out the string over the previous few weeks; the Houston Rockets and San Antonio Spurs ran by way of the tape, however the others trotted out hopeless makeshift rosters, as anybody with a remotely threatening damage was shut down for the yr.
Often, I like to present some shine to gamers on these draft lottery groups who stood out towards the tip, however this was an unusually hopeless yr for that. So, as a substitute, earlier than pivoting to the playoffs, let’s shine my lottery highlight on one participant whose second-half play hasn’t acquired sufficient eyeballs: the Portland Path Blazers’ Scoot Henderson.
The third choose within the 2023 draft — Victor Wembanyama he ain’t — completed his rookie yr with a 9.5 PER. However, a fully horrid begin dragged down these numbers. That, and Portland’s fast descent from something resembling rivalry, mixed to bury the information of Henderson’s second-half revival.
Take Friday’s recreation towards Houston, for example. It was Henderson’s final recreation of the season — he missed crunchtime with a groin subject and sat out the Blazers’ unhappy finale Sunday in Sacramento. But, it was arguably his finest, too, with 30 factors, seven assists and only one turnover in 33 minutes towards an excellent defensive crew that was principally intact.
Right here’s one frozen second Blazers followers will fortunately carry into the offseason. Close to the tip of the third quarter, Henderson confronted a late shot clock and had Houston’s bulldog defensive stopper Dillon Brooks hounding him on the perimeter. Henderson took a pair dribbles to shake free for a millisecond, rose up and dropped in an extended jumper for two:
That bucket wasn’t fairly a 3, however it was his seventh straight profitable jumper from greater than 20 ft on the night time, after Henderson began 6-of-6 on triples. For a man who entered the season with a “can’t shoot” label, he completed on fairly the upswing. Henderson ended the yr at 32.9 % from 3 after beginning the yr 9 of fifty. He made 35 % after the All-Star break.
His stability on photographs off the dribble, specifically, appeared to get steadier because the season went on; Henderson made a number of stepback 3s within the closing week, one thing that appeared unthinkable in November. His taking pictures 81.9 % from the road, in the meantime, helps the notion that the taking pictures a part of the equation is now on stable floor.
“His confidence is manner up on his shot,” Blazers coach Chauncey Billups stated after Friday’s recreation. “His stability is so a lot better.”
Together with that taking pictures has come extra efficiency as a passer, as groups have turn into extra skittish about going underneath towards him. Henderson had three double-digit help video games in April, together with a career-high 15 towards New Orleans on April 9, after registering solely 5 within the Blazers’ first 75 video games.
Notably, once I requested Billups the place Henderson had made probably the most progress because the fall, he pointed first to not taking pictures, however Henderson’s studying of the sport.
“Simply understanding two issues,” Billups stated. “Understanding the precise NBA recreation, and the place he’s going to get his alternatives, studying methods to navigate pick-and-rolls, when individuals are going up underneath him.
Second, understanding opponents, different groups and coverages and issues like that. These issues take some time, [but] he’s come a really great distance.”
At this level, if Henderson has one space to work on, it’s truly contained in the arc. He shot solely 41.6 % on 2s this season, with a low free-throw charge; we don’t have a look at 2-point percentages a lot, however that’s a surprisingly dangerous determine. It ranked the fifth-worst of any participant with at the very least 1,000 minutes; of the opposite gamers on the listing beneath, two are 3-point specialists who rarely shoot 2s and one was on a two-way deal. Henderson, in distinction, is in a primary offensive function and took over 500 of them. Whereas he was high-quality within the midrange, he solely made 50.3 % within the basket space and 31.3 % in floater vary, in response to Basketball-Reference.com; once more, each figures had been within the backside 10 amongst qualifying gamers.
Lowest 2-point proportion, 2023-24
Participant
Group
2FGA
Pct
Alec Burks
Det-NY
239
36
Sam Merrill
Cle
39
38.5
Jordan Hawkins
NO
158
41.1
Jordn Goodwin
Phx-Mem
241
41.1
Scoot Henderson
Por
529
41.6
* — Min: 1,000 minutes performed
That development confirmed on Friday. Whereas he made seven lengthy leap photographs within the first three quarters towards Houston, he additionally shot 1 of seven within the paint in that very same stretch.
First, the excellent news. Right here’s the “1” in that 1 of seven. Yowza.
Sadly, Henderson’s ending within the half court docket leaves loads to be desired. He nonetheless tends to broad leap somewhat than explode upward and can take off too early at instances. He additionally appears to have uncommon bother getting his legs underneath him to essentially energy up on the cup, leading to innumerable “blown-tire” finishes that go away him ending up properly beneath the rim making an attempt to complete over a much bigger participant.
Henderson additionally actually likes to get to the far aspect of the rim and shoot a reverse when driving proper; that is most likely his finest technical talent within the paint. Even then, nevertheless, it’s putting how typically he doesn’t appear to have his weight underneath him when he goes as much as end. Right here, for example, he beats Brooks cleanly alongside the baseline however has a traditional blown-tire end.
Billups says advancing his ending craft must be Henderson’s summer season challenge.
“It’s a giant factor for him as a result of he’s going to have the ability to get into the paint.”
“It’s actually repetition,” Billups added. “[And] what finishes you want. Generally, it’s layups; typically, it’s excessive layups; typically, it’s spinning off the glass, with both hand, floater. You by no means know what you’re going to want in a specific recreation.”
Choosing the proper membership to drag out of his ending bag is the opposite component for Henderson. Try these two performs from Wednesday’s recreation towards the Golden State Warriors, for example.
Within the first one, issues begin promisingly with a lightning quick crossover that leaves Andrew Wiggins within the mud. Nevertheless, as a substitute of urgent his velocity benefit, Henderson slows up right into a Euro step transfer on Trayce Jackson-Davis and may’t explode upward on the finish of it; Jackson-Davis simply spikes it out of bounds.
Later, Henderson will get an excellent display screen from Deandre Ayton and briefly has Dario Šarić in a compromised place underneath the basket. Nevertheless, he slows up lengthy sufficient for Wiggins to get again within the play and finally ends up taking pictures a troublesome, contested floater. Henderson’s floater isn’t developed sufficient, and he’ll get higher at it, however even prime Tony Parker would regard this one as a troublesome shot:
The opposite factor that may assist Henderson are some pivots and, particularly, shot fakes. Henderson normally goes on a straight path to the rim however not often tries to cease and let his defender transfer out of the way in which for a neater shot or faux him off his ft to attract a foul.
Right here, for example, Henderson has Jabari Smith Jr. transferring laterally at full bore; if he vegetation his left foot and executes a fast shot faux, it doubtless sends Smith into the stands whereas Henderson pivots for a straightforward layup. As a substitute, it’s Henderson compelled right into a wild, contested end along with his left hand, even on a shot the place he’s gathered to go up extra forcefully than on a lot of his different makes an attempt.
All of that is a part of the training curve, after all. Asking an adolescent (OK, he simply turned 20) to function as a high-usage NBA level guard not often ends properly. Everybody I’ve talked with raves about Henderson’s work ethic and about him as a teammate, and his plan for the summer season includes figuring out the kinks across the rim.
After Friday’s recreation, Henderson stated he’s open to taking part in Las Vegas Summer time League and will likely be taking part in someplace this offseason regardless. He additionally has a giant listing of things for his program this summer season.
“Handles, with contact, ending, explosiveness, fast twitch, thoughts, physique. Taking pictures, clearly. Actually simply throughout. Watching movie on methods to assault sure conditions all through our system,” he stated.
He’ll doubtless come again to a a lot completely different Blazers crew subsequent season, with Anfernee Simons and Jerami Grant again wholesome, one other excessive lottery choose on the roster and extra expectations than on this yr’s 21-win outfit.
The irony is that he’ll come again to a unique scouting report too. The “can’t shoot” subject has rapidly receded, and opponents already had been going underneath screens towards him far much less aggressively than initially of the season. Now, the important thing to Henderson’s success lies in his progress as a paint finisher.
Cap Geekery: Late-season extensions
You normally don’t see a lot roster motion after “buyout season” ends, however underneath the brand new collective bargaining settlement, one exception has been late-season contract extensions. With the extra beneficiant guidelines on extensions, that has turn into a way more widespread factor, and two groups above the posh tax apron inked offers this week to retain their beginning taking pictures guards.
Boston signed Jrue Vacation to a four-year, $134 million-plus extension that, at first look, might sound a bit wealthy for a 33-year-old whose numbers are down this season. Nevertheless, the important thing component is that Boston saved a number of million {dollars} within the first yr of the deal, taking Vacation’s cap quantity from $39.4 million right down to $30 million by having him train a participant choice for 2024-25. That $9.4 million in financial savings multiplies itself due to Boston’s tax place; with the Celtics projected to land at the very least $20 million over subsequent yr’s tax line, they may save about $35 million in luxurious tax penalties subsequent yr by having Vacation on this deal as a substitute of his outdated one.
That $35 million is also a squishy quantity, due to quite a few unlikely incentives in Vacation’s deal that might have hit and raised the general complete of his contract by as a lot as $4 million, together with a extremely believable $1 million bonus for profitable the championship. These incentives keep on the books for the remainder of this yr, however subsequent yr are changed by his new deal.
The price for Boston comes within the out years; Vacation will make a complete of $105 million in his age-35 by way of age-37 seasons, which is … not nice. Nevertheless, the Celtics save a lot cash between wage and tax within the first yr of the deal in 2024-25 — a yr for which Vacation was already signed — that you may have a look at it extra as a three-year extension for $60 million, which sounds much more cheap. Both manner, the Celtics have a severe tax state of affairs to handle for the foreseeable future, particularly when Jaylen Brown’s mammoth extension kicks in for 2025-26.
In the meantime, the Phoenix Suns reportedly inked Grayson Allen to a four-year, almost $70 million extension forward of his impending free company. It’s not clear but if the reported quantity consists of the unlikely incentives from his present deal that complete almost $1 million per yr.
![](https://cdn.theathletic.com/app/uploads/2024/04/15142340/USATSI_23013205-1024x681.jpg)
Grayson Allen excessive fives coaches as he exits a recreation towards the Kings. (Ed Szczepanski / USA As we speak)
Both manner, although, the deal is close to the restrict of what Allen might legally signal proper now and a reasonably wholesome valuation for a 28-year-old function participant. The motivation for Phoenix right here is much like Boston’s — the Suns are over the tax apron and thus don’t have any believable technique of changing Allen if he indicators someplace else. Not like Boston, nevertheless, the Suns didn’t simply win 64 video games, and their roster is already shockingly costly.
The beginning of the postseason could put a kibosh on these offers for the approaching days, however preserve an eye fixed out for extra of them as soon as playoff groups’ seasons finish. Specifically, the Clippers’ Paul George, the Bulls’ DeMar DeRozan, the Warriors’ Klay Thompson and the Pelicans’ Jonas Valančiūnas all can ink extensions earlier than free company begins on July 1.
Prospect of the Week: Nolan Traore, 6-3 PG, Saint-Quentin (France)
(Observe: This part received’t essentially profile one of the best prospect of the week. Simply the one I’ve been watching.)
This previous week’s Nike Hoop Summit introduced collectively a number of of the highest prospects from what is predicted to be a loaded 2025 draft, in addition to the doubtless prime choose in 2026 in ahead A.J. Dybantsa. The motion on the ground didn’t disappoint, both, as the massive names all stood out.
Duke commit Cooper Flagg, the projected prime choose within the 2025 draft, wasn’t at all times as assertive within the practices however was one of the best participant within the precise recreation on Saturday with 19 factors , 11 boards and nice protection, regardless of early foul bother that restricted him to 25 minutes. Unusually for a younger participant of this caliber, he doesn’t rely a lot on self-created photographs, which makes him an fascinating participant to challenge ahead by way of his star ceiling.
Rutgers’ incoming dynamic duo of Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper additionally shined within the practices, particularly a Thursday scrimmage, and within the recreation scored 14 every. Bailey has an alluring combo of dimension and taking pictures means, whereas Harper combines an NBA physique with elite really feel for working in tight areas. In the meantime, Baylor’s incoming combo guard V.J. Edgecombe confirmed Victor Oladipo-like athleticism whereas getting wherever he needed all week; he scored 17 within the recreation on Saturday.
Nevertheless, the one out-of-left area shock who had execs texting their worldwide scouts, “Who the hell is that this man?” was Traore, who got here into the occasion with out a lot hype however rapidly established himself as one of many world crew’s finest gamers.
The 6-foot-3 guard didn’t flash the loopy athleticism of Edgecombe and wasn’t fairly as easy a shooter as Bailey, however his means to function in pick-and-roll, decision-making and ending craft stood out among the many different teen prodigies. Within the recreation on Saturday, Traore had 18 factors and 4 assists, with the latter complete doubtlessly rising greater had just a few good dishes been transformed.
Nolan Traore within the Hoop Summit vs Group USA:
– 18 PTS– 2 REB– 4 AST– 1 STL– 8/14 FG (2/4 3PT)
Traore confirmed main poise & maturity on the court docket in the present day at simply 17, making play after play. Simply one of the best guard show in the present day. The longer term is shiny for the frenchmen. #NBADraft pic.twitter.com/PXO3Tg9jQg
— mohamed (@mcfxz) April 14, 2024
Traore stood out on the Basketball With out Borders event in Indiana over the All-Star break and performed for France’s U-18 crew in 2023 and its U-16 crew in 2022, however we in any other case haven’t seen a lot of him in main abroad play.
That’s about to vary, as he signed with Saint-Quentin within the prime division of the French league for the rest of the season. He’s being recruited by U.S. faculties as properly, with Gonzaga, Xavier and Alabama within the combine, and the Australian NBL’s Subsequent Stars program has him in its sights as properly.
Wherever he finally ends up, he’s a brand new face on the 2025 draft board who has established himself as a lottery-level expertise. We knew about Flagg, Bailey, Harper and Edgecombe, however Traore is price placing in that dialogue now too.
(Prime picture of Scoot Henderson and Jrue Vacation: Eric Canha / USA As we speak)