The Portland Trail Blazers revealed their 2023 NBA Summer League schedule last week.

The team will feature plenty of talented options from Portland's roster and beyond. Guard Keon Johnson and forward Jabari Walker both earned minutes during the 2022-23 season, while three players were welcomed onto the Blazers roster via the 2023 NBA Draft.

Portland went 4-1 during last year's Summer League behind a roster that featured Walker, Johnson and guard Shaedon Sharpe. Guard Brandon Williams scored 22 points as the Trail Blazers earned an 85-77 victory over the New York Knicks to claim the 2022 Summer League Championship. Forward Trendon Watford added on 19 points, seven rebounds and three steals in the championship game.

Who are some players to look out for during the Blazers' 2023 Summer League run?

Scoot Henderson

Henderson, the No. 3 selection in the 2023 NBA Draft, will have plenty to prove when he enters the 2023 NBA Summer League.

The 6-foot-2 guard had a successful season with G League Ignite before declared for the NBA Draft. He averaged 17.6 points, 5.1 rebounds and 6.6 assists per game during the 25 games he played between the G League's regular season and its Winter Showcase. Henderson played alongside now-San Antonio Spurs guard Sidy Cissoko, Indiana Pacers guard Mojave King and Minnesota Timberwolves forward Leonard Miller.

Portland Trail Blazers general manager Joe Cronin had high praise for the former five-star recruit.

“I think I would say, especially to Scoot as a 19 year-old, he’s not your normal 19 year-old,” Cronin said, via NBA.com. “This is a special, special player that is of course going to need some time to adjust to the NBA, but he’s already been playing professionally for two year.

“He’s ubertalented, he’s not going to take too long to find his stride. So he’s a little unique in that regard. I understand what Dame meant by the average 19 year-old, I would argue Scoot is anything but average.”

Henderson will gain valuable reps with some of his new teammates in the Summer League. If he has the skill Cronin highlighted, he can be an important part of the Blazers' Summer League roster and beyond.

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The Houston Rockets invested heavily into Fred VanVleet during the 2023 offseason. Houston gave the point guard a three-year, $128 million deal in a move that was meant to turn the Rockets from a rebuilding team into a championship contending one. The signing did just that, as the Rockets finished the 2024-25 regular season as the two-seed in a stacked Western Conference. VanVleet was the veteran presence and 3-point shooter that the team desperately needed, and he still might have a role with the Rockets going forward. Houston has a team option on his contract for next year, and they very well may pick it up. The Wichita State product reportedly wants to stay in Houston, but the point guard would be set to make over $44 million next season under his current contract. The Rockets and their guard recently pushed back the deadline on Houston's decision with VanVleet, and although reports suggest that they are interested in writing up a new, long-term deal, it isn't necessarily a guarantee that VanVleet will be playing for Houston next year. The Rockets blew him away with an offer he couldn't refuse back in 2023, and another team could so the same when/if he hits the open market this offseason. If VanVleet does become an unrestricted free agent, which teams outside of Houston would make the most sense for him to sign with? 1. Orlando Magic Jalen Suggs and Franz Wagner recently signed big deals with the Orlando Magic, and Paolo Banchero will be getting a mega contract extension here soon. Because of that, the Magic no longer have money to blow like they have had in recent years. That will make a deal for another big ticket free agent hard to pull off, especially considering the team signed Kentavious Caldwell-Pope last year. If Orlando can make the money work, though, then Fred VanVleet would be a great fit with the Magic. The Magic finished dead last in 3-point shooting this season, and VanVleet has made at least 2.5 deep balls per game in every season since 2018-19. VanVleet can hit shots form behind the arc off of the bounce or in catch-and-shoot situations. The Rockets were heavily reliant on his shooting expertise, so the guard would have plenty of familiarity getting up deep shots with high volume if he signed with the Magic. While undersized, VanVleet is a pesky defender, so he'd fit right in with a Magic team that has one of the best defensive units in the league. VanVleet could play alongside Suggs and give opposing teams fits. Ultimately, though, the Magic just need more shooting to get to the next level, and VanVleet is arguably the best shooter who could be available on the open market this offseason. 2. Brooklyn Nets A more realistic option for a VanVleet destination would be the Brooklyn Nets. The Nets are set up to have the most cap space this offseason, and they have a major need at point guard. With D'Angelo Russell and De'Anthony Melton hitting free agency this offseason, the Nets don't have a true point guard under contract for next season. Brooklyn needs to spend big this offseason, and they'd be smart to offer VanVleet a contract big enough that he'd have no choice but to leave Houston. VanVleet averaged 14.1 points per game last season, which was his lowest mark since 2018-19. He is trending the wrong way, but he still has enough left in the tank to give the Nets a few good seasons. 3. Portland Trail Blazers In the same way that the Rockets were looking to take the next step in 2023, the Portland Trail Blazers could use VanVleet's presence to get over the hump. The Trail Blazers have plenty of big man depth, as centers Deandre Ayton, Donovan Clingan, Robert Williams, and Duop Death are all under contract next season. Portland also has a lot of wing depth. Deni Advija started to look like a star late this past season, Toumani Camara is an elite defender, Shaedon Sharpe is a freakish athlete, and Jerami Grant is a proven scorer. The team is thinner in the backcourt, though. Anfernee Simons is a solid scorer, but Scoot Henderson has looked like a fringe draft bust since being drafted third overall. Portland shouldn't give up on Henderson completely, but there wouldn't be any harm in signing another guard. Like the Magic, the Blazers were one of the worst 3-point shooting teams in the NBA. VanVleet would improve that weakness, and in a stacked Western Conference, Portland needs all of the help they can get if they are to compete for a playoff spot.
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Kris Murray

Murray was taken with the No. 23 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft.

Murray was officially signed by Portland on Saturday. The former Iowa forward saw massive signs of improvement during his three seasons with the Hawkeyes. He saw his averages improve from 9.7 points per game during his sophomore season to 20.2 in his junior year. His rebounds per game went from 4.3 to 7.9. While his 3-point shot fluctuated during his time with the Hawkeyes, he ended his college career with a comfortable 35% from the 3-point line.

“I think for me, it’s just my versatility, offensively and defensively,” Murray said when asked how he expected to impact the team in his rookie season, via NBA.com. “I feel like I can guard multiple positions and play multiple positions. Definitely my basketball IQ. I just think I’m a low mistake kind of guy. Definitely going to grow with these guys these next few months and just get better.”

Murray can be a solid fit at either forward spot if the talent he showcased at Iowa can translate to this year's Summer League.

Shaedon Sharpe

How will Sharpe fare during his second Summer League appearance?

Sharpe played in 80 games and started in 15 for Portland last season. He averaged 9.9 points, three rebounds and 1.2 assists per game. The 6-foot-6 guard scored 20 points or more nine times last season, including a 30-point performance in a late-March loss to the Sacramento Kings.

Sharpe could provide extra veteran experience to a roster that features a few returning faces. If he can find ways to work with Henderson and Murray, he can have an easier transition into the second season of his NBA career on a Portland roster that features a mix of blossoming and veteran talent.