Portland Trail Blazers: Who should Anfernee Simons be studying in quarantine?

Anfernee Simons, Portland Trail Blazers (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images)

The Portland Trail Blazers have high hopes for Anfernee Simons, and the guard is still oozing with potential. With time on his hands, which players should Simons be studying?

I think Gary Trent Jr.’s astronomical development this season has created a somewhat false narrative around Portland Trail Blazers guard Anfernee Simons, and his own improvement.

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I’ve said the same all throughout the season – when the Blazers cleared the way for Simons to play more minutes and up his contribution, I thought we were about to see a breakout, but it hasn’t entirely gone to plan. Or that’s the general vibe from people who have watched Simons this season.

But is it accurate, or are we being too harsh? It’s fine to have high standards, especially for a player with Simons’ potential, but when I looked back, I don’t believe it has been a poor season for the second-year guard. In his first season, the then 19-year-old averaged just 7 minutes a game, so in a sense, this is really his ‘rookie’ year, and we can expect some inconsistency.

Simons started off hot, hitting double digits in scoring in 12 of his first 19 games, but has tailed off slightly in the second half of the season, as Trent Jr. has been the main story. His main issue is the consistency, as the guard sometimes lets one poor shooting night turn into a few too many.

So, who should Simons be watching right now to further his development? Simons is quick and athletic, with incredibly deep range and a knack for scoring in bursts, so I’ve included a few players who can help further these strengths. As for his weaknesses, they come in the form of efficiency, finishing around the rim, and especially facilitation; when Dame and CJ are off the floor, Simons has struggled to lead the team.