The Portland Trail Blazers are committing to a full reset after failing to make it work with their roster of players last season.
With the majority of the roster made up of players who haven’t even played three years in the NBA, it made sense for Joe Cronin and the front office to do away with the remaining veteran players of the squad and commit to building around Scoot Henderson.
While the team is looking for possible suitors who would take Jerami Grant off their hands, they also need to find a trade partner who would take Anfernee Simons.
The 24-year-old shooting guard has been a solid player for the Blazers over the past couple of years, but it’s clear that he’s out of schedule when it comes to the rebuild.
It’s now up to the Blazers to find teams that would take his place, and Rip City Project’s Reese Kunz listed possible teams Cronin can talk to get favorable returns for a solid scorer.
Possible trade partners for Portland Trail Blazers’ Anfernee Simons
Toronto Raptors
The Raptors would be a great fit for Simons as their core players—Scottie Barnes, Immanuel Quickley, and RJ Barrett—share similar ages. Simons will add an intriguing element to Toronto’s offense that could see them compete for the title within the next couple of years.
However, Kunz pointed out that defensive will be an issue for the Raptors should they get Simons because he and Quickley would make up a completely undersized backcourt.
Los Angeles Lakers
The Purple and Gold are desperate to get any kind of support for LeBron James and Anthony Davis, and the Portland Trail Blazers could offer Simons up to provide some much-needed scoring that will take the pressure off their stars.
It’s unlikely that they’ll be able to get him without giving up a king’s ransom, though. If they are hesitant to pull the trigger for Grant, it’s unlikely that Rob Pelinka would be willing to make the same sacrifice for Angernee Simons.
Orlando Magic
Credit: AP Photo
The Magic aren’t a team that gets plenty of media attention, but they’ve quietly built an exciting team that has already seen a bit of playoff action last season. The team’s core shares similar ages to Simons, and his inclusion will instantly transform the team into the biggest underdogs in the East.
If Simons wants to seriously compete for the title as he enters his physical prime, he should convince the Portland Trail Blazers to enter serious talks with the Magic. Whether they do that is an entirely different matter, though.
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