Scoot Henderson Mock Trade: Fixing Hornets' PG Depth with 1 Ironic Move

The Charlotte Hornets moved up in the lottery to the number two overall pick in 2023. Falling one spot shy of Victor Wembanyama (sorry to remind everyone), they were left with the pick of the litter. It ultimately was down to Brandon Miller or Scoot Henderson.

The Hornets, to the dismay of some, took Miller, and Henderson went to the Portland Trail Blazers. Now, though, the Hornets need backup point guard help badly, and the Blazers happen to have an enormous glut of point guards.

He's not officially on the trade block, but his future in Portland is certainly a little murky. The Hornets could make an ironic trade and please all those fans who literally booed Miller after the Hornets picked him over Henderson.

How could they pull it off? Henderson has not been great throughout his NBA career. He's had flashes, but 13.5 points and 5.0 assists per game on 47.2% effective field goal percentage are his career marks.

Still, the Hornets need someone who can facilitate when Coby White sits, and Henderson averages 8.9 assists per 100 possessions for his career. That's a solid mark, and it could be exactly what the Hornets need.

Fortunately, Dorian Finney-Smith's contract lines up perfectly with Henderson's. It is unlikely that Henderson would cost a first-round pick, as he's been very inconsistent and injury-prone so far. But a few second-round picks would probably get the deal done.

The Hornets can also, instead of Finney-Smith, use Royce O'Neale, Grant Williams, or even Tre Mann to match salaries enough. Whichever of those players (probably not Williams) the Blazers want would get it done.

What works so well about this is the fact that Henderson is on an expiring contract. The Hornets don't need a long-term solution because they have Christian Anderson Jr. waiting in the wings. He doesn't need multiple years to be ready.

For Henderson, it's a chance to start fresh and rebuild his value, which is extremely important in a contract year. He'd be buried in Portland with little chance to improve his standing ahead of restricted free agency, but in Charlotte, he'd get ample opportunity to shine.

The Blazers would do this because they simply have way too many guards and obviously are not sold on Henderson. Adding a few second-round picks to play with in future deals is good for business, so they would likely be satisfied.

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