Blazers’ Scoot Henderson Suffers Hamstring Tear, Will Miss Significant Time

Mar 27, 2025; Sacramento, California, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard Scoot Henderson (00) dribbles against Sacramento Kings forward Domantas Sabonis (11) during the third quarter at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images | Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images

Injured Portland Trail Blazers All-Star point guard Damian Lillard will be sadly joined on the sidelines by another ailing point guard, at least to start the 2025-26 season.

More news: Blazers Called Out By NBA Insider Over Disappointing Offseason

Per longtime NBA insider Chris Haynes, former No. 3 lottery pick Scoot Henderson has torn his left hamstring during a recent workout.

Haynes reports that the Trail Blazers anticipate that he will be on the shelf for the next four-to-eight weeks, meaning he could miss as much as a month of regular season action.

Portland Trail Blazers guard Scoot Henderson suffered a left hamstring tear during an off-season workout and is expected to be sidelined 4-8 weeks.

— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) September 26, 2025

While questions had abounded about whether six-time All-Defensive Team guard Jrue Holiday would earn the starting point guard nod over Henderson (or perhaps the starting shooting guard nod over Shaedon Sharpe), now it appears this injury has resolved that issue.

Per Joe Freeman of The Oregonian, Henderson tore his hamstring while playing a pick-up game in Portland's own practice facility.

Tough news for the Blazers and Scoot Henderson: The third-year guard will be sidelined 4-8 weeks because of a left hamstring tear. The injury happened this week during a pick-up game at the team's practice facility.

— Joe Freeman (@BlazerFreeman) September 26, 2025

It's a disappointing development for Henderson, whom Trail Blazers general manager Joe Cronin had hoped would be the club's new superstar when the 6-foot-2 guard was selected near the top of the lottery in the 2023 NBA Draft.

Is Henderson's Growth Now on Ice?

His rookie season was marred by inconsistency, though he showed early flashes of the kind of downhill athletic talent that had made him such a tantalizing prospect alongside No. 1 pick Victor Wembanyama and No. 2 pick Brandon Miller.

Both Wembanyama and Miller, however, have already blossomed in the NBA. The same can't quite be said for Henderson.

More news: Blazers’ Damian Lillard Reveals Unfortunate Reason All-Star Teammate Left Portland

In 66 healthy games for the 36-46 Trail Blazers last year (10 starts), Henderson averaged 12.7 points on .419/.354/.767 shooting splits, 5.1 assists, 3.0 rebounds, and 1.0 steals a night.

Now, Henderson's own teammate, Toumani Camara — the No. 52 pick in that same 2023 draft — is looking like the more appetizing Portland prospect. The 6-foot-8 forward may not have had Henderson's pre-draft ceiling, but he has gone on to define himself as one of the league's premiere perimeter defenders.

He earned an All-Defensive Second Team honor in just his second season last year, while establishing himself as an effective 3-and-D presence. Camara averaged modest sums of 11.3 points on .456/.370/.722 shooting splits, 5.8 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.5 steals and 0.6 blocks in 77 healthy bouts (all starts).

When Lillard returns to the court from his Achilles tendon tear — likely in 2026-27 — Portland will be faced with a bit of a conundrum: how much will the Trail Blazers prioritize the development of Henderson and Sharpe (who'll be a restricted free agent in 2026)? Will the team just lean on Lillard and Holiday, who at that point will both be 36?

For more news and notes on the Portland Trail Blazers, visit Portland Trail Blazers on SI.