Scoot Henderson's impending return from injury presents the Trail Blazers with an interesting decision to make. Portland needs to find a way to give their young point guard minutes, but Jrue Holiday is a superior player at this stage in their respective careers. The franchise could opt to find a way to give both lead guards significant minutes, or they could choose to part with Holiday while his stock remains high. Backdropping all that is their surprising push for a spot in the Play-In Tournament.
Henderson was cleared for full contact this week, which means his return from the hamstring tear that's sidelined him all season is near. It might take the former No. 3 overall pick some time to ramp up to big minutes, but it's just a matter of time, barring any sort of further injury setback.
Holiday has been manning the point guard position for the young Blazers squad in Henderson's absence. The downside to Portland continuing to play him in that role is that he's too old to fit the team's timeline for contention. Holiday is playing his age-35 season, which makes him an ideal fit for a team looking to win a title now. He is not, however, a logical player for a team like Portland that is still looking to build a young core towards title contention.
So what should the Blazers do with Jrue Holiday?
The Blazers should be actively shopping Holiday to teams looking for a veteran who can put them over the top. His age and contract are both concerns, but Holiday has championship equity that can overcome those issues.
Portland might need to take on some bad money if they want to get a premium draft asset in exchange for Holiday, but that's a sacrifice the team should be willing to make. Chasing the play-in might seem fun for fans at the moment, but the path towards being a contender in the Western Conference over the medium term is still murky in Portland. Offloading Holiday for a quality first-round pick could clarify things quickly.
What does that mean for the Blazers and Scoot Henderson?
Nothing about Henderson's NBA career to date should make him or the Blazers feel convinced that he's their point guard of the future. Instead, they should look at the rest of this season as an audition of sorts to see if he can lock up his place in the team's long-term plans.
I still believe in Scoot Henderson https://t.co/kG5wpNbHGH pic.twitter.com/uQXM3tqXUa
— Josh🌹 (@D0N0VANCLINGAN) January 25, 2026
On the floor, Henderson should be able to help push the team's tempo to new heights. They are already seventh in the NBA in pace, but Henderson has more speed than Holiday with the ball in his hands. That's a key plus for a Portland roster that is not blessed with a ton of shooting or halfcourt creators outside Deni Avdija.
Henderson should also receive a steady diet of pick-and-rolls with center Donovan Clingan. The potential emergence of that duo as a steady pairing could change the complexion of the Blazers' halfcourt offense. It may never turn into an elite pick-and-roll staple for Portland but anything above-average could be helpful for the team's offensive efficiency.
Will the Blazers actually give Scoot Henderson the keys?
The key unknown variable here is just what sort of offers might be out there for Holiday. Portland should not give him away just to clear playing time for Henderson, but they need to understand he doesn't fit their timeline in the slighest.
That's why the odds slightly favor Holiday being moved to clear room for Henderson before the trade deadline. Getting an asset for the veteran guard and giving Henderson the minutes required to sink or swim is the best outcome for Portland.