The Portland Trail Blazers are in an interesting position. They have a solid young core, they just haven’t been able to grow and develop like they should at this point. Scoot Henderson was drafted two years ago and his injury-riddled career hasn’t quite taken off.
Shaedon Sharpe has had some similar problems, which include health as well as development. They were supposed to be an uber-athletic tandem that eventually developed into core players and helped turn the team around in the post-Damian Lillard era.
Instead, the duo has left the Blazers in a precarious position about what to do in the upcoming draft. The latest FanSided mock draft suggests they might move away from one of their former top picks in the backcourt for a fresh face.
The tandem of Henderson and Sharpe just hasn’t worked the way the organization has liked. Doesn’t mean they have to completely reset. But it does mean, if they have the chance to draft a player like VJ Edgecombe, it might be better to get him and figure out how to address a loaded backcourt after.
VJ Edgecombe to the Blazers would create a logjam in the backcourt and force the Blazers off Scoot Henderson or Shaedon Sharpe
Edgecombe showed signs of NBA promise throughout his freshman season at Baylor. He helped the Bears win a first round game over Mississippi State, before losing to Duke in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
What makes him a good fit for the Blazers is the fact that he fits the athletic guard mold the Blazers have adopted over the last few drafts. The biggest question mark for him is his shooting.
He was an efficient shooter in high school, but only shot 34 percent from beyond the 3-point arc in college. That’s something he’ll have to develop to truly be the player to turn this Blazers team around.
Because he’s not a true point guard, he’s not the greatest ball handler, meaning he’s not elite at creating his own shots. That’s something he can develop, but if he becomes a better spot-up shooter, his teammates should be able to find him.
According to Yahoo Sports’ Kevin O’Connor, he has Edgecombe’s comparisons to Victor Oladipo, Ben Mathurin and Christian Braun. Which I think are all fair comparisons. But it also means, maybe his ceiling is being a functioning role player and nothing more.
The Blazers need more than just a role player. They need a player not just to build around, but to grow into a core piece of a turnaround. So far, Henderson and Sharpe haven’t quite put it together.
Adding another guard in the mix is iffy, though Edgecombe’s size can allow him to play more of a wing.
Maybe the Trail Blazers won’t have to move one of Henderson or Sharpe to make it work with Edgecombe. But if the trio end up uniting and can’t figure it out, someone will be the odd man out.