Grade the Trade: Trail Blazers send out Anfernee Simons in this foul deal

Cons of this trade between the Portland Trail Blazers and Brooklyn Nets

Let’s dive into the meat and potatoes of this trade proposal between the Trail Blazers and Nets.

Simons is just 24 years old and has shown glimpses of star potential. Over the last two seasons, he’s averaged 19.3 points – very efficiently, by the way – 4 assists and 2.6 rebounds per contest. The Blazers giving up on him wouldn’t make much sense, especially with the guard likely to take on a bigger role with Lillard’s eventual departure.

When teams go into rebuilds, they typically give the young players in town the keys to the team rather than trading them away.

Now, it does make some level of sense to ponder moving Simons if the Blazers truly just want to focus on Henderson and Sharpe’s development, but not in this package. Simons is certainly worth more than a veteran on an expiring contract and a future first round pick. If they were to trade him, there are undeniably better returns that the Blazers could fetch.

The guard has All-Star potential in him, but this package makes it seem like Portland is trying to dump him.

Simons just finished the first year of an incredibly team-friendly deal worth $100 million over four years. If he can continue his ascension to stardom, that deal could continue to look like a steal more and more with each passing day. It’s another reason that trading him wouldn’t make sense.

Looking at the Dinwiddie angle, the Blazers would be replacing Simons with another guard who will need the ball in his hands. Heading into a contract year, Dinwiddie will be looking to make a mark wherever he plays as he aims to earn himself another contract. That would be taking touches away from the young guys in Henderson in Sharpe, as well.