Blazers Move Scoot Henderson to Bench

Portland shifts its former third overall pick out of the starting lineup after poor recent shooting and efficiency numbers.

Updated on Nov. 11, 2026 in Basketball

Photograph of an empty row of arena bench seats in a dim tunnel, a gray towel on one backrest, and a faint silhouette of a player in a warm-lit doorway. — The Portland Trail Blazers moved third overall pick Scoot Henderson to the bench Tuesday, starting Sidy Cissoko against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Moda Center. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

The Portland Trail Blazers have moved Scoot Henderson back to a reserve role, with Sidy Cissoko starting against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Moda Center on Tuesday. Henderson started Portland's last five games, a stretch in which he averaged 9.2 points.

Why it matters

Henderson struggled across the last five games, shooting 31.6 percent from the field and 21.1 percent from three-point range, while posting the second-worst offensive rating and the worst net rating on the team. The change comes as Portland enters the game on a two-game losing skid with a 6-3 record and without Ja Morant, who is out with a hamstring injury.

Over the last five games, Henderson shot 31.6 percent from the field and 21.1 percent from three-point range on 3.8 attempts per game, producing a 97.4 offensive rating that ranks second-worst on the team. His minus-11.3 net rating over that stretch is the lowest on the roster, and the sample size is too small to measure a longer-term trend.

The players

Scoot Henderson

Henderson is a Portland Trail Blazers guard selected third overall in the 2023 NBA Draft, and he has been the subject of ongoing debate about his development since entering the league.

Chris Haynes

Chris Haynes is a veteran NBA insider who has built a large following for reporting roster and lineup news on social media.

The details

The decision to move Henderson to the bench was made before Tuesday's game at Moda Center, and Chris Haynes first reported the change in a post on X. Portland won the first three games with Henderson in the starting unit before losing the next two.

Tuesday: Trail Blazers host the Oklahoma City Thunder at Moda Center with Cissoko starting.

Season Trajectory

The move comes as Portland, at 6-3, looks to stop a two-game slide without Morant, and it tests how far the team will go with a former top-three pick in its rotation. Henderson's place in the lineup now becomes part of the team's broader effort to find stable production around its guards.

Henderson's move affects starting lineup choices for fantasy managers who had him in the starting unit, since his recent scoring and efficiency have been limited. Fans should watch how Cissoko's start and Portland's rotation adjustments shape the next several games.

The takeaway

Short stretches of poor shooting can move a young player out of the starting lineup, but the coming games will show whether the change is a short-term fix or a lasting one. Readers tracking Portland should watch Henderson's minutes and efficiency over the next week.