Impossible to know just yet. Most older rookies need a full year to adjust to the NBA. Most young rookies need two years. There are certainly exceptions but I stand by that theory. They all tend to improve, the difference is which ones improve more. And projecting that is the tough part during the draft.
The question is....for what? I love his game and would hate to give him away, but I admit it is inevitable. But we need value back for him. (and Dame)
If the 2023 draft was done today, where would Scoot go? My guess: 1. {1} V Wembanyama, age: 19.9 --- 18.8 ppg, 10.4 rpg, 3.2 bpg, 19.1 PER 2. {2} B Miller, age: 21.1 --- 14.7 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 38.5% 3pt, 10.8 PER 3. {5} Ausar Thompson, age: 20.9 --- 9.3 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 2.3 apg, 12.9 PER 4. {12} D Lively II, age: 19.9 --- 8.9 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 1.5 bpg, 16.7 PER 5. {7} B Coulibaly, age: 19.4 --- 8.9 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 41.0% 3pt, 10.4 PER 6. {16} K George, age: 20.1 --- 10.6 ppg, 5.0 apg, 2.9 rpg, 9.6 PER 7. {19} B Podziemzki, age: 20.8 --- 8.9 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 3.1 apg, 14.1 PER 8. {3} S Henderson, age: 19.9 --- 11.8 ppg, 4.4 apg, 2.2 rpg, 6.3 PER 9. {18} J Jaquez, Jr., age: 22.9 --- 13.8 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 38.0% 3pt, 14.4 PER 10. {14} J Hawkins, age: 21.7 ---- 10.7 ppg, 3.1 apg, 36.2% 3pt, 10.1 PER We've now seen these players in the summer league and 1/3 of a season. It's way too early to draw conclusions, but plenty of time to remove some of that 'potential' label. The good news is the Blazers do have a rookie listed in the NBA Rookie Ladder top 10.
I’m not concluding Henderson is a bust. But I have learned that his game isn’t nearly as close to NBA ready as many pundits proclaimed before the draft.
Absolute crazy talk. Nobody is drafting for today. Nobody is drafting Podziemzki or Keyonte George over Amen Thompson or Scoot Henderson.
Agree 110%. Imagine, if you will, this were a GSW board: Pod has not helped the team one iota. We fucking suck. Pod was a bust. Then you come here and somebody wants Pod over Scoot. That is insane.
I do. Decisions must always be reevaluated with additional data available. I know it’s early, but with the data we have to this point, I think there were better options for the Blazers to draft at #3. If I was given the opportunity to swap Scoot with Miller, Thompson, Lively, Coulibaly, or George, I would do it. Podziemski I would pause, but probably also make the trade. Will Scoot eventually be a better player than those noted? Perhaps. But his outside shot, finishing at the rim, high foul rate, high turnover rate, and poor defense have me concerned.
It's like... HEY GUYS, A BUNCH OF OLDER PLAYERS FROM COLLEGE ARE OUTPLAYING THE 19 YEAR OLDS!?!?!?! Let's go down the ladder 1. Wemby - 20 on 1/4 2. Chet - 22 in May 3. Jaquez - about to be 23 in February 4. Miller - 21 5. Ausar Thompson - 21 in January 6. Lively - 20 on 2/12 7. George - 20 8. Coulibaly - 20 in July 9. Poudzimzki - 21 in February 10. Camara - 24 in May Scoot will be 20 in February so the only players on that list who are younger is Coulibaly and Lively by a few days. Would anyone rather have either of those guys over Scoot?
I was posing a hypothetical question to see what people thought about Scoot vs Brandon Miller now. This was more of the BPA vs position of need argument. Not even anything against Scoot personally. That shouldn’t elicit a response like his as a moderator. I guess I just have different expectations from mods.
