The Trail Blazers are reportedly in the midst of trying to trade star guard Damian Lillard. Or at least, Lillard has requested a trade (specifically to the Heat).
It’s safe to say it’s not going too well, given that Lillard remains in Portland more than a month after making his request.
But Lillard or no, the Blazers will have something about which to be excited. Just ask rookie guard Scoot Henderson, the No. 3 overall draft pick.
“My goal, obviously, is to win Rookie of the Year,” Henderson told Playmaker. “And I will win Rookie of the Year. … My goals for the season are to help win a lot of games, to embrace the position I’m in, to embrace my role on the team, to be a great listener, and watching film and applying it to the next game.”
That’s not all. Henderson added that his goal is to “be remembered as the best point guard to ever play the game” by the time he retires.
He may have his work cut out for him, of course. Assuming the Blazers do indeed trade Lillard, they still may have guards Shaedon Sharpe and Anfernee Simons ahead of Henderson on the depth chart, per Aaron Fentress of the Oregonian. And who knows who they will get back in the event of a Lillard trade? It may be more quality guards.
But who knows? Maybe Henderson will prove to be better than any of them.
Either way, with as much as Blazers have had to hear about losing Lillard, it may be nice to see comments from a rookie who is offering big goals. If Henderson is as good as he hopes to become, then trading Lillard will eventually make him seem like yesterday’s news.
For the record, Henderson was selected after the Spurs took center Victor Wembanyama at No. 1 overall, with the Hornets nabbing forward Brandon Miller at No. 2. Thunder center/forward Chet Holmgren is also entering his rookie season.
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