Trade Proposal Sends Anfernee Simons Away as Blazers Land $16 Million Sharp Shooter

Ricardo Klein | 14 Hours Ago

Feb 8, 2024; Portland, Oregon, USA; Portland Trail Blazers shooting guard Anfernee Simons (1) shoots the ball over Detroit Pistons guard Stanley Umude (17) during the first half at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-Imagn Images / Soobum Im-Imagn Images

The Portland Trail Blazers will be one of the few teams that will likely trade most of their players. The Blazers need to go into a full rebuild mode, and they possess many players who do not fit that bill at the moment. 

Portland has about five players on its roster who will be on the move, one of whom is guard Anfernee Simons, the longest-tenured Blazer. 

Simons is in his seventh season in the league, and his time in the Pacific Northwest could be running out. 

This latest trade proposal has the Blazers cutting ties with Simons and getting this Eastern Conference sharpshooter. 

Blazers receive: Tim Hardaway Jr. and cash considerations

Pistons receive: Anfernee Simons

Hardaway Jr. is a career 36 percent shooter from three and is on an expiring deal. Granted, he is not having his best year as he is shooting a little under his career percentage from three (35 percent) and is averaging 9.9 points per game, 2.1 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in 24 games and 27.6 minutes per game. 

Losing is winning for the Blazers this season, and Hardaway's poor shooting could be what Portland needs. This deal would work for both sides, as the Blazers only get Hardaway for half the season and some cash in return.

The Pistons are an emerging team and will have Simons for the next season and a half. If they decide to flip him next season, then so be it. Simons will make $27 million next season, the last year of his four-year, $100 million deal. 

Simons' time in Portland is likely to come to an end as he's been with the franchise through the good, bad, and ugly. Simons was selected 24th overall by the Trail Blazers in the 2018 NBA Draft. 

He was the third high school player since 2015 to be drafted in the NBA, behind Thon Maker and Satnam Singh Bhamara. 

In his Portland career, Simons has averaged 14.3 points per game, 2.5 rebounds, and 3.0 assists while shooting 43 percent from the field and 38 percent from three.

Simons will be a hot commodity in the trading market, as many teams have already expressed interest in the 25-year-old guard. The Pistons would be a young player who could fit well next to Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, Jalen Duren, and Ausar Thompson. 

The Blazers get rid of one guard and use one who is having a down year for the rest of the season. 

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