portland trailblazers Guard Anphanie Simmons has come under fire for Portland’s sub .500 performance this season. Fans are bickering about his attributes, approach, and suitability. with 2023 NBA trade deadline Approaching, Simons’ name popped up locally in a deal offer. Today’s Blazer’s Edge mailbag covers her one reader’s concern that the Blazers won’t do.
Dave,
I read and listened with interest Chris Haynes said Ant was untouchableI find him very touchable. He doesn’t play defense and is a lone scorer in an era where there are already many defenses. I think either Chris or management is loosening the screws. Say the screw is tight. am i right?
Kell
you are frank That’s good!
Simmons is 23 years old, scores 22 points per game, and has an average shooting percentage. Over the past few years, he has been a very efficient three-point threat in his own right, so the average looks bad by comparison. But perspective: if your bad points are other people’s averages, you’re not that bad.
Simmons is expected to make $22.3 million this year to $27.7 million in 2025-26, with pay increases in between and contracts averaging $25 million a year. If this were 2016, it would cause sticker shock, but that deal could be slightly lower for this generation of NBA starting guards, especially points his producer. Simmons may not be perfect for the team on the floor right now, but his contract is a good size.
It’s also important to know that the “fitness” issue has two-way ramifications. The Blazers need a better two-guard defender than Simmons currently has. They also need his three-point percentage to rise again. But why do they need those things? Because Damien Lillard thrives with a partner like that. Lando will play better defense and make enough threes to escape the pressure from the superstars.
But let’s say Lillard isn’t in the backcourt. Simmons and Random combine his average NBA guard. Do you prefer Ant? Odds are you will. His scoring ability is a huge asset needed to succeed in this NBA era. We were talking about his playmaking and possible floor stretching. You’ll remember him winning his 2021 All-Star He won the Slam Dunk Contest and touting his athleticism. This is just the beginning, and we’re guessing the Blazers took a steal, acquired Simmons as a low first-round pick, and kept him on a reasonable contract. Instead of complaining about the 23-year-old version, I’m glad the 27-year-old Ant was trying to grow up.
the blazers [evidently] I feel like they For them, Simmons is not an easy commodity to replace. In its heyday, it still is today.
What if Lillard didn’t work out? What if age or injury catches up with him? What if he wants to leave even though he has sworn many times that it will never happen?
This team has a bright line running between Lillard and everyone else, or at least between Lillard and a few veterans and the rest of the team. Standing on one side of that line is the “win now” crew. The number is small, but the presence of Lillard makes it heavy. Removing that presence leaves a precious little weight behind.
At the other end of the line, the development crew is led by Simmons. If for some reason “win now” doesn’t work, Simmons is the fulcrum of the future. That doesn’t mean he’s the most talented player. For all we know, it could turn out to be Shaedon Sharpe. Jerami Grant seems to be stepping into the role, but removing his Simons leaving only Grant and Sharpe leaves a huge hole and a lot of speculation. A combo that can set up teammates while hitting threes and scoring off dribbles. Where is his guard?
With their influx in recent years, Blazers fans have forgotten what it’s like to not have a player like that. How many years did Portland burn point guard draft picks? How many veteran-guard combos did they try? That era was spent with Brandon Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge in tow, but many was not clean.
Simmons is an off-ramp to Portland’s new highway. Without him, that exit would be much tighter. If the Blazers abandon that possibility, they’ll have to widen the highway they’re on to ensure that it leads directly to conflict. I have no intention of pursuing it.
I have no doubt that this will not fix the 2022-23 season in the slightest. But current frustrations do not alleviate the need to plan for the future. Stopping pain is no reason to trade in professional sports.
So far, the Blazers don’t have much to cry about… oops! Too many guards that haven’t yet meshed. If they can keep their finances in check and distribute that talent surplus to a more viable roster, I bet they go for it. It’s all and doesn’t mean to end all, but I don’t think any deal involving him is paved for now. Worth more than a deal.
It is a wise and fair attitude. Until Mr. Championship is available in Simmons’ package, I don’t think they’ll stop doing it.
Thank you for the question! Feel free to drop us a line at blazersub@gmail.com and we’ll get back to you.
