The Trail Blazers Facing The Most Pressure In 2025-26

With Anfernee Simons‘ exit, only Jrue Holiday stands in his pathway.  That won’t even be that big of a problem, considering Henderson has more room to grow. However, Scoot needs to perform well enough to play a significant role when Damian Lillard returns in 2026.

Henderson’s 2024-25 averages of 12.7 points and 5.1 assists per game were promising. The field goal shooting at 41.9% is disappointing, but the 35.4% from three is encouraging. If he can continue to improve his efficiency with his scoring and playmaking, he could potentially take charge.

Billups is a big Henderson believer, so he will get the opportunity. It is time for Scoot to live up to expectations and prove himself. He has the talent and physical gifts, but he has to put them all together.

Shaedon Sharpe

After three seasons of steady improvement, Shaedon Sharpe has become one of the top Blazers players. During the 2022-23 season, Sharpe immediately became part of Portland’s rotation. Since then, he has worked on his game enough to be a game-changing scorer.

During the 2024-25 season, Sharpe averaged 18.5 points per game on 45.2% from the field. Despite those promising numbers, his three-point shooting continued to decline, as he shot only 31.1% from long range. His work inside the arc has been superb, as he is a tremendous athlete and mid-range shooter.

Sharpe is entering a contract year, so he will want to play his best basketball in the 2025-26 season. The potential is there, clear as day, but he must overcome his slow progress to succeed. Sharpe benefits from Lillard’s return, who was a fantastic leader during Shaedon’s rookie year.

Across the roster, Sharpe has the most potential to be a star. Billups also knows how to push his buttons, as he motivated him to perform better in the 2024-25 season. Sharpe was not doing well on defense, so Billups put him on the bench to prove himself. Shaedon delivered, and he will continue to do so.

Kris Murray

Over the past two seasons, Kris Murray has been relatively quiet as a rotation player for the Blazers. Murray has all the tools to become a solid piece in Portland’s rotation, but he has not put it all together.

Throughout his Blazers career, he has averaged only 5.1 points per game with a dismal 25.1% three-point shooting percentage.

Since his profile is of a 3-and-D player, Murray is not playing as well as he can. His twin brother, Keegan Murray, has been superb for the Sacramento Kings. While Kris does not have to match his brother’s numbers, he could perform better to cement himself in Billups’ system.

Murray still has two years left in his four-year Blazers contract, but he must step up. Whenever he enters the game, he must make a significant impact. The Blazers are looking for good wing depth, and he could be a serviceable backup. Toumani Camara and Deni Avdija are superb players, but they need help too.

The 2025-26 season is significant for Portland. These Trail Blazers players have the potential to break out, but they are under pressure. It will be up to them if they meet that pressure head-on or buckle.