Portland’s crowded backcourt could create an opening for Dallas, especially if Scoot Henderson or Shaedon Sharpe becomes available after the Ja Morant deal.
The Memphis Grizzlies traded Ja Morant to the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday for Jerami Grant and Kris Murray. No draft picks. No young players. Just veterans for a former All-Star. Portland now has Morant, a returning Damian Lillard, Jrue Holiday, Scoot Henderson and shooting guard Shaedon Sharpe on the same roster.
Five guards, two starting spots. Something has to give, and Dallas should be the team on the phone when it does.
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Henderson was the third overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. He is 22 years old with the athleticism to create off the dribble at multiple speeds. Last season, he averaged 14.1 points and 5.8 assists in a reduced role before a hamstring injury cut into his availability.
His Game 2 performance against the Spurs in the playoffs made the case for what he is capable of at his best. With Victor Wembanyama leaving the game early with a concussion, Henderson scored 31 points on 11-of-17 shooting and went 5-for-9 from 3-point range to erase a 14-point fourth-quarter deficit and steal a road win. He became the youngest player in franchise history to score 30 points in a playoff game.
With Morant, Lillard and Holiday now all ahead of him in the pecking order, Portland is not in a position to give him the starting role he has earned.
Shaedon Sharpe is the other name worth watching. The 22-year-old averaged 19.8 points and 4.1 rebounds last season on 38.4% shooting from 3-point range as Portland’s leading scorer. His profile as a shot-creating wing who attacks closeouts and spaces the floor fits alongside Cooper Flagg on both ends. Morant’s arrival makes Sharpe’s role in Portland even murkier than it was before.
Dallas has Klay Thompson on an expiring deal, P.J. Washington available in trade discussions and a $20.8 million trade exception. Portland needs salary flexibility and veteran depth around Morant and Deni Avdija. The pieces to start a conversation are there.
The Morant trade opened a window, and Dallas should be making the call before someone else does.
