Trail Blazers News: Did Joe Cronin Just Reveal Next Vet He'll Trade?

A possible sneak peak at a potentially transaction-heavy summer.

Feb 4, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon (50) controls the ball under pressure from Portland Trail Blazers guard Scoot Henderson (00) and center Deandre Ayton (2) and forward Toumani Camara (33) and guard Anfernee Simons (1) in the first quarter at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports | Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

After offloading three of the rebuilding Portland Trail Blazers' four draft picks this year, including a lottery selection, and using his one pick on former two-time University of Connecticut superstar center Donovan Clingan, despite already fiedling three rotation big men, team general manager Joe Cronin appears to have hinted at his roster priorities this offseason.

"We’re committed to [guards] Scoot [Henderson] and Shaedon [Sharpe] being a massive part of what we’re doing, and how do we find ways to give them the support they need and maximize their development?” Cronin said, according to Bill Oram of The Oregonian.

Henderson and Sharpe are the club's two most recent lottery picks prior to Clingan (selected at No. 7 on Wednesday). The 6-foot-3 Henderson, drafted third out of the G League Ignite in 2023, had an inconsistent, disappointing rookie season, and looked like a sieve on defense while struggling to hold onto the rock on offense, but he showed some flashes during the final two months or so of the 2023-24 regular season. The 6-foot-6 Sharpe, selected with the No. 7 pick out of Duke in 2022, was barely healthy during his second pro season in 2023-24. Across the 32 games he did play (25 starts), Sharpe averaged career highs of 15.9 points (on .406/.333/.824 shooting splits), five rebounds, 2.9 assists and 0.9 steals, in 33.1 minutes per.

By not mentioning his most expensive rostered guard, 6-foot-3 shooting guard Anfernee Simons, it would appear Cronin may be amenable to flipping the 25-year-old and the $53.7 million remaining on his contract this summer. Clearly, he wants to open up a route for Henderson and Sharpe to earn more touches and playing time, while resetting the timeline of his rebuild.

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