An Aggressive Shaedon Sharpe Helps The Blazers’ Bright Future

That has worked well for Sharpe, who has averaged 18.5 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 2.6 assists since mid-January. He is considerably more aggressive on offense and is playing with more energy on defense. After the Blazers’ most recent game against the Toronto Raptors, Billups praised Sharpe’s aggression.

“I’ve really challenged Shaedon in that department (aggression). I want to push him and see how far he can go. When he’s aggressive, he learns more about himself,” Billups said in his post-game interview. “There’s always more that you leave the game. And you’re like ‘Dang.’ I think Shaedon is learning more about himself while being aggressive the entire time. We’re learning at the same time.”

Billups is correct in his assessment, the Blazers have been more competitive recently and Sharpe’s play is key to this success.

Building Around Sharpe Is The Right Move For Portland

The Blazers’ future has always revolved around building with their draft picks. That happened with Bill Walton in the 1970s, Clyde Drexler in the 1980s, Damian Lillard in the 2010s, and more. They are doing that now with Sharpe, Scoot Henderson, and Donovan Clingan.

Combine that with trades like the deals for Toumani Camara and Deni Avdija, then the team has a functional rebuild. However, building around Sharpe is probably the best decision because he has the highest ceiling out of everyone. Shaedon has limitless potential, as he shines in any offensive scenario, and he’s a tremendous defender when motivated. They might lose games, but Billups believes in the team’s promise.

Billups has even given him some reps as a playmaker. Of course, the recent game against Toronto was without Simons and Henderson. But, Shaedon showed he could serve as a secondary playmaker when needed.

“I was really impressed with him. Only one turnover too, knowing he had to play backup point guard without Scoot and Ant out there. I was really impressed with his game, he was like poetry in motion,” Chauncey said after the Toronto game.

As he continues to shine as Portland’s top shooting guard, it might be time to commit to the future. The team still has Anfernee Simons on the roster, and he is not the optimal fit alongside Sharpe. Picking Scoot as the starting point guard might be the best move for the team’s long-term future and make Shaedon the No. 1 option. The future is still unclear, but it might be best if they commit to Sharpe as the long-term star.