Scoot

Henderson

Henderson has yet to appear in a game this season, as he suffered a torn left hamstring during an individual workout before the start of training camp. As recently as Tuesday, he told The Athletic that he still wasn’t doing much movement. Henderson has been limited to stationary shooting and some ball-handling drills, so it’s crucial to keep in mind that the two-to-four-week timeframe is for a re-evaluation of the injury. With Jrue Holiday (calf) out at least one to two weeks, expect to see plenty of Deni Avdija on the ball. Caleb Love should continue to play rotation minutes off the bench, and he’s worth tracking in deep leagues.

Henderson suffered a torn left hamstring during a workout just before the Trail Blazers opened training camp. While he has progressed in his recovery, the lack of clearance to run, jump or engage in other explosive movements indicates his return to action is not imminent. “I can walk around to spots, but no jumping, no exploding,” Henderson told The Athletic on Tuesday. “I shoot free throws, some ballhandling, but without moving much.” With Jrue Holiday and Blake Wesley also injured, Portland has relied on Shaedon Sharpe, Deni Avdija and Caleb Love to take on playmaking responsibilities. Holiday’s injury is not expected to be long-term, so he’ll assume the starting point guard duties once again when he’s cleared to play. As for Henderson, fantasy managers with an open IL+ slot can continue to stash him. However, those working with injury-riddled rosters may need to move on and seek alternatives.

Wesley underwent surgery on Wednesday to repair the fractured fifth metatarsal in his right foot. He’s expected to be available to return in 8-12 weeks. His absence does not impact fantasy basketball, but the Trail Blazers are light on options behind Jrue Holiday, especially with Scoot Henderson (hamstring) out. Caleb Love played seven minutes off the bench in Monday’s loss to the Lakers and will likely retain that role until Henderson is available.

The move from Boston to Portland seems to have brought Holiday’s fantasy value back to life. He’s scored at least 21 points in three consecutive games, something the veteran guard did not do last season. Still rostered in just 54 percent of Yahoo! leagues, Holiday is providing third-round value in nine-cat formats. Of course, there’s the question of what will happen once Scoot Henderson returns from his hamstring injury, but fantasy managers should not worry about that right now. If Holiday is on your waiver wire, pick him up.

Unsurprisingly, Portland will extend the rookie contracts of their 2023 and 2024 first-round picks. This will be a big season for Henderson and Murray as they look for new contracts next summer, though Scoot’s season won’t get off to the ideal start, as he’s set to be sidelined for the start of the year.

Holiday, acquired from the Celtics during the offseason, only played 17 minutes in his unofficial Trail Blazers’ debut. The veteran guard did not shoot the ball well, but he was solid otherwise, making plays for others and committing just one turnover on the night. With Scoot Henderson likely to miss the start of the regular season with a torn left hamstring and Damian Lillard out for the season as he recovers from a ruptured Achilles, Holiday will have to take on point guard duties for the foreseeable future. After seeing his fantasy value take a hit in Boston last season, Holiday will be worth the investment in Portland.

Lillard ruptured his left Achilles tendon during the Bucks’ first-round series against the Pacers. Planning on doing his rehab in Portland, the guard agreed to a multi-year deal with the Trail Blazers after Milwaukee bought out his contract. Lillard’s declaration that he doesn’t plan on attempting to play this season is unsurprising, but there had been no official declaration from him or the team. With his comments on Monday, fantasy managers don’t need to consider stashing Lillard with a late-round pick. This will be a critical season for Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe, as both will take on significant roles with Lillard sidelined and Anfernee Simons now a member of the Celtics.

According to the Trail Blazers, Henderson suffered a torn left hamstring during a workout earlier this week. The initial expectation is that he’ll miss anywhere from four to eight weeks, meaning the third-year guard is highly unlikely to be available for opening night. Henderson’s absence places more responsibility upon Jrue Holiday’s shoulders as he looks to rebound from a 2024-25 season that was underwhelming by fantasy standards. The injury news may also mean that Deni Avdija will have more opportunities to serve as a primary playmaker, raising his fantasy ceiling after an excellent first season in Portland.

Simons and Henderson will miss Portland’s final game of the season, meaning Dalano Banton will remain in the starting lineup. He should be slotted into lineups in active fantasy leagues due to Portland’s lack of options at point guard. While Simons finished the season as a ninth-round player in eight- and nine-cat formats, Henderson was ranked well outside the top-100 in both. Henderson’s per-game value did improve compared to his rookie season, which is encouraging. But he remains a better option for points leagues than category leagues.

Friday’s game will be the sixth in a row Simons has missed, and the seventh in a row by Henderson. The Trail Blazers have turned to Dalano Banton to take over the starting point guard duties. Despite the efficiency issues, he’s worth rostering in active fantasy leagues due to the opportunity.