NBA Trade Rumors: Blazers' $100 million guard reportedly attracting interest from several teams
Still in the midst of a rebuild, the Portland Trail Blazers are going to be a one of the teams to watch leading up to the trade deadline. Armed with multiple veteran talents on their roster, they'll be looking to make deals to open up space for their younger players.
"Trade season" in the NBA is rapidly approaching with the first key date just around the corner. After December 15, a large majority of players who signed deals in the offseason can now be placed in trades.
Leading up to the unofficial start of trade season, ESPN's Shams Charania laid out his latest intel from around the league. While discussing the Blazers, he cited guard Anfernee Simons as a player garnering interest around the league.
"Multiple teams have begun expressing interest in a group of Portland's veterans," Charania wrote. "Jerami Grant, Anfernee Simons and Robert Williams III -- as the Trail Blazers make decisions on the roster, sources said."
Simons, 25, has seen a slight dip in production this season. After averaging over 20 points per game the last two years, that number is down to 16.5 through 21 games. Simons has also had some struggles shooting the ball, only converting 32.3% of his three-point attempts.
Simons is in the third year of a four-year, $100 million contract. He is signed through this season and next after which he will become an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2026.
Blazers guard Anfernee Simons viewed as 'realistic' trade target for Eastern Conference team
As of now, there is no telling which teams are getting interested in the Portland Trail Blazers' veterans. However, there is one Eastern Conference team that is regularly cited as an ideal landing spot for Anthony Simons.
Back in November, Grant Hughes of Bleacher Report listed dream and realistic trade targets for each NBA team. When breaking down the Orlando Magic, he cited Simons as an attainable target for them.
"A consistently accurate high-volume three-point shooter over the last half-decade, Simons can space the floor off the ball and do just enough as a setup man to make sense next to fellow hybrid guard Jalen Suggs."
Based on his career as a whole, Simons' production thus far has been more of that of an outlier. He's proven at his peak he can be a high-powered offensive guard who can effectively space the floor. More importantly, Simons doesn't always need the ball in his hands, making him a good complement to Orlando's forward duo of Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero.
On the other side of things, the Magic are also an interesting trade partner for the Blazers. They have a collection of young talent on their roster which could entice a rebuilding squad like Portland.