Assessing Which NBA Lottery Teams Need Scoot Henderson the Most

One of the better point guard prospects we’ve seen in the last five years, Scoot Henderson is sure to be highly coveted on NBA Draft night 2023.

Standing at 6-foot-3 with a 6-foot-9 wingspan, Henderson burst onto the scene as a hyper-athletic lead ball-handler with the Ignite, averaging 16.5 points, 6.5 assists and 5.4 rebounds per game in his most recent season.

If not for 7-foot-4 French phenom Victor Wembanayama, Henderson would likely be the runaway favorite for the No. 1 pick.

Now just 10 days from the NBA Draft lottery, lets assess which teams need Henderson’s talents as a true point guard the most moving forward:

San Antonio Spurs

With plenty of talent but no true lead ball-handler, San Antonio landing Henderson would be a match made in heaven.

Alongside Devin Vassell, Keldon Johnson and 2022 up-and-comers Jeremy Sochan and Malaki Branahm, Henderson would have complete control on the court, while allowing the Spurs’ tertiary creators to take over when necessary.

And giving the best point guard prospect in a decade an unlimited leash would likely help both parties.

Houston Rockets

In a similar boat to San Antonio, the Rockets have put together a strong core in the last few drafts, but don’t have enough direction to put it all together.

With Henderson ousting the Kevin Porter Jr. point guard experiment, the Rockets could finally move forward with a clear direction: build around Scoot Henderson and re-tool as necessary.

Luckily for them, their current team is built to harness a lead handler. Henderson would take offensive pressure off of Jalen Green, help facilitate to Jabari Smith Jr. and function well as a cutter and lob threat alongside Alperen Sengun.

Washington Wizards

With the eighth-best draft odds, the Wizards will need a miracle on lottery night, but are in dire need of a prospect to help them into a new era.

With pieces like Bradley Beal, Kyle Kuzma and a revitalized Kristaps Porzingis, Henderson would be able focus solely on facilitating and ramping up his offensive production early in his career.

Honorable mentions:

Utah Jazz: With the ninth-best lottery odds, the Jazz are going to need some serious luck to jump up to second overall. But Henderson, alongside Lauri Markkanen, Walker Kessler and more, could help usher Utah into a new era.

Orlando Magic: The Magic have some point guard depth with Markelle Fultz, and their star forwards, Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner are completely capable of running the show themselves. Still, Henderson would add a new layer of talent to a team with an already bright future.

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