of portland trailblazers He’ll be rich again this season with two guard positions. Damian Lillard, Anfernie Simmons, Josh Hart, Gary Payton II, Nasir Little, Keon Johnson, Shadon Sharp, Didi Ruzada and Brandon Williams all have the ability to play at least one position. Yes, some are much more competent than others.
But general manager Joe Cronin seems to have already established priorities in two smaller positions. “I made a runway” Anfernie Simmons gave him a four-year, $100 million contract after trading away former Portland guards CJ McCallum and Norman Powell in February.
The 23-year-old enters the 2022-23 season without the excuse of signing a rookie scale deal or being held back by an older and more experienced teammate. Despite this very clear direction, not so much Blazers fans are calling for the former IMG Academy standout to come off the bench and make way for Josh Hart, who provides a more defensive presence. It seems some groups aren’t quiet. I think I saw someone trying to start the #startart hashtag earlier this week.
Anphanie Simmons
Simmons has introduced himself on the NBA stage for the past 12 months. Damian Lillard was taking his biggest step after ending his own season in early January to deal with an ongoing abdominal ailment. In his first appearance outside of Lillard, Atlanta Hawks, Simmons averaged 23.4 assists, 5.8 assists and 2.7 rebounds in the remaining 26 games after scoring 43 points in 9 of 16 games, making up the majority of the offensive load. With the defense having to reluctantly keep an eye on Lillard again this season, Simmons will hopefully at least have a little bit more freedom to keep the above production going.
Right now he’s not a good defender. But Simons has the time and physical attributes to develop them.
Josh Hart
After a stint with los angeles lakers When new orleans pelicansHis size, basketball IQ and skill set allow the 27-year-old to play one or two positions. increase.
The Milwaukee Bucks’ 2025 first-rounder and trade exception seemed like the main prize in CJ McCallum’s deal with the New Orleans Pelicans, but Hart was by far the best player. The bigger wings in his prime could do a lot to help franchises pay the checks.
At 6’5 tall, Hart can score, handle, facilitate, defend, rebound, and has shown ability to hit long balls, averaging a career average of 9.9 points, 5.7 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 0.9 on nearly 35% of 3-point shots. Steel, 0.4 blocks.
To be fair to the #startart brigade, I can understand why Lillard and Hart need a backcourt. Perhaps it harks back to an era when the much younger and defensively good Wes Matthews shared the backcourt with Lillard and enjoyed short successful runs through injury.
But it doesn’t happen, so…
money
And this is the big one. Simmons got a lot of money. There is no way to give that kind of money to an opponent trying to play off the bench, no matter how many minutes you play. Being an NBA starter isn’t just standing on the court when the ball jumps, it’s a status that almost every NBA player aspires to. Had Simmons had the impression that he would be returning for a bench role, I seriously doubt he would have signed with Portland minutes after free agency began.
If I was Simons and Cronin presented me with a bench role, I almost certainly would have tested the waters to see what other teams had to offer. It would be on par with just about any deal, but I doubt Simmons would sign with such enthusiasm if he didn’t agree to return the starter role when he sat in the rest of the seats (I doubt the enthusiasm is equated with the speed at which trades are made). Simmons will average $25 million annually over the next four years. That in itself is proof enough that he was always going to own his guard position first shooter.
A runway has been created and has been in place for some time.
heart exit interview
We’ve mentioned this many times, but Hart was just one of two or three players after last season. speak to the media,say it:
“I’ve spoken with both Joe and Chauncey and it’s going to be a little different than what I’m used to. I think I’ll do something like that with the ball in hand, so that’s what I’m excited about.
There is absolutely no way he could do this, starting next to Damian Lillard. Sure, he could be a facilitator while Lillard is on the floor, but not as a starter. Those wishing to tandem Lillard and Hart should understand that this was decided four months before him. Unless a miracle happens, nothing is likely to change.
Starter does not play for 48 minutes
We’ve already touched on this, but there are plenty of opportunities for Lillard and Hart to play together despite their starters owning certain status. I think we need to see them play together. Hart is asked to play for this team. In many cases, he could fight Peyton II, earning sixth bragging rights.
Another one, for those citing Manu Ginobili as a situation where pushing a better player off the bench worked. Now, I challenge anyone to come up with another example. This is definitely not a sustainable recipe for success.
Simmons is more than just McCallum
This is really frustrating. Simmons is bigger, more athletic and boasts a larger skill set. He’s also not paid as much as the New Orleans guard, CJ McCollum, is as influential and ball-stoppering as ever, playing iso basketball most comfortably. Shows willingness to pass and put teammates in scoring position.
Simmons can also play off the ball. Certainly, by the time Lillard was in recovery, he had more on his hands, but he has shown an ability to get off the ball and create a tremendous number of catch-and-shoot opportunities. I was.
The Florida-born guard can also reach the rim and make contact with ease. McCollum has always had trouble doing this. The only real commonality they share is subpar defense, and as we discussed, Simmons still has the time and physical ability to deal with this.
Hearts may move on deadline
last week, Discussed a time-limited deal the Blazers may pursue, using Justise Winslow and Hart’s (Player Option) Expired Deal to put the player back in the desired position. Hart, who makes $12.9 million if the Blazers manage to secure a key player in February, is one of the Blazers’ few available assets and could become an expendable asset, but other teams’ It can be interesting (yes, I use that word). Given the glut of guards already on this roster.
I really enjoy what he brings to the table, and from what we’ve heard he’s also a pretty good guy, but the ultimate goal here is to win a championship. Cronin needs to be able to close the gap in center and, more importantly, in the small forward position.
Deal 101: In order to get what you want, you have to let go of what someone else wants.
Conclusion
I know it’s August and there’s very little to talk about, but trying to demote Simons to a bench role is a reckless pursuit. All signs suggest that the Blazers see someone who can build a franchise around Simmons when Damian Lillard retires. They are trying to inflict as many burns as possible before Simmons reaches his prime.
I know offensive-only players tend to be better suited for off-the-bench roles — look at Lou Williams, Jordan Clarkson, Jamal Crawford. But Simmons has yet to prove or disprove that he fits into this category. I am not paranoid. Early signs of defense aren’t particularly great. But with the offensive potential so obvious, you can’t underestimate his defensive prowess or cap his chances of scoring and passing the ball. A young man has to start.
