Ranking the Most Disappointing Players on Blazers This Season

While Portland secured its first playoff berth in four years, the first-round exit exposed significant gaps in the roster with these three underperformers.

Portland Trail Blazers guard Scoot Henderson looks towards a staff member during warm ups. | Jaime Valdez-Imagn Images

The Portland Trail Blazers enjoyed a successful season that finished with their first playoff berth in four years, but their offseason has begun after a first-round series loss to the San Antonio Spurs.

The Blazers will now evaluate their roster to see who worked, who did not, and figure out how the team should move forward. Here are the three biggest disappointments on the roster for the Blazers this season.

Vit Krejci: Trade Deadline Dud

Portland Trail Blazers guard Vit Krejci warms up before game one of the first round of the NBA Playoffs. | Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

While many expected Krejci to provide the secondary playmaking and size that the Blazers' second unit lacked when he was acquired in a trade from the Atlanta Hawks before the deadline, his production remained largely theoretical this season.

On film, his defensive rotations often lagged a step behind, and despite shooting a high volume from deep, he shot 30.3 percent mark from the perimeter.

His inability to punish defenders for going under screens allowed opponents to sag into the paint, effectively neutralizing the spacing the coaching staff had hoped he would provide. For a team looking to transition into a more modern, pace-and-space offense, Krejci’s lack of an impact became a bottleneck rather than a solution.

Yang Hansen: The Half-Baked Rookie

Portland Trail Blazers center Yang Hansen greets fans as he walks toward the court. | Soobum Im-Imagn Images

The transition to the NBA's speed and physical interior play proved to be a steeper mountain than anticipated for the rookie center from China.

The Blazers selected Yang with the No. 16 overall pick in the NBA Draft, much higher than many mock drafts had him graded. The Blazers were hyped about him, but he didn't live up to it.

Hansen showed flashes of high-level passing, but his defensive rebounding rate was among the lowest for players at his position, often losing out on 50/50 balls to more experienced veterans.

While the long-term potential remains, his rookie campaign was defined more by the learning curve than by consistent contributions.

Scoot Henderson: Not Enough Progress

Portland Trail Blazers guard Scoot Henderson warms up before game four of the first round of the NBA Playoffs. | Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

The expectations for a top-tier lottery pick are always monumental, but Henderson struggled to find a consistent rhythm amidst a rotating cast of backcourt partners.

Henderson only played in a career-low 30 regular-season games, but he was healthy for the playoffs and shined brightest in the team's lone win on the road. He reverted back to being a non-entity for the last bit of the series as his shots failed to fall when the pressure mounted.

For the Blazers to take the next step, Henderson will need to refine his decision-making at the point of attack and prove he can be a reliable scoring threat when the game slows down.