Blazers plan Cissoko start over Henderson

The Trail Blazers removed Scoot Henderson from the starting lineup after he struggled during five starts filling in for injured Ja Morant, replacing him with Sidy Cissoko. Henderson’s early-season shooting, scoring and ball security have been poor, while Cissoko has offered more efficient play. The demotion has renewed questions about Henderson’s fit and long-term future in Portland, which drafted him third overall in 2023 with hopes he could become a franchise-changing player. Analysts note that he may still develop into a solid NBA player, but his progress has fallen short of those expectations; his contract-extension talks also remain unresolved as he approaches restricted free agency. The Blazers’ strong win over Oklahoma City showed the team can succeed even as Henderson’s role and development remain uncertain.