PORTLAND, Ore. — The baton has been passed.
After 11 elite seasons with the Portland Trail Blazers, seven time All-Star point guard Damian Lillard was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday as part of a three-team deal.
The Blazers landed star guard Jrue Holiday from Milwaukee and 25-year-old center DeAndre Ayton from the Phoenix Suns, as well as draft compensation and rookie forward Toumani Camara.
However, the story is less about the return and more about what Lillard's departure means for Portland: namely that the Scoot Henderson era is officially upon us.
Locked on Blazers host Mike Richman, in anticipation of the Lillard trade, recorded a season preview episode about Henderson and expressed his excitement in what he brings to this franchise and how impactful he could be for this team even as a teenager in year one.
"He could be the Rookie of the Year in the NBA" Richman said. "He is talented enough and is going to get the opportunity to be the Rookie of the Year...the best case scenario is when we get to awards season it's not just the Victor Wembanyama coronation, it's the Scoot show."
Henderson was the third overall pick in the 2023 NBA draft by the Blazers, and his selection was the final straw in leading Lillard to ask for a trade. Now, with Lillard in Milwaukee and 25-year-old center DeAndre Ayton the prized return, the team can focus on building around Henderson and fellow young guard Shaedon Sharpe, who was selected seventh overall in 2022.
Sharpe averaged 23.7 points, 6.1 boards, and 4.1 assists in his final 10 games last season, following Lillard's shut down, and he will be a huge part of this team's future.
But make no mistake, Henderson is the future face of the franchise. The 19-year-old starred for the G-League Ignite last season and has drawn comparisons to Derrick Rose, Russell Westbrook, and Donovan Mitchell for his frame and otherworldly athleticism.
This Portland team isn't competing for a playoff spot in the short term, but the young nucleus of Henderson, Sharpe, Anfernee Simons, and now Ayton is one of the more intriguing cores in the NBA, and will be plenty fun to watch as they gel together in the coming years.