What to do with Anfernee Simons is one of the most challenging dilemmas facing the Portland Trail Blazers as the Feb. 6 trade deadline approaches.
Ideally, Scoot Henderson would have shown enough consistency for the Blazers to be confident that he's their long-term starting point guard moving forward. However, Henderson's struggles in his second season could cause Portland to be more reluctant to part ways with their combo guard.
Simons has also struggled with inconsistent play this season but has drastically turned things around in his past five games. It presents the same conundrum with Simons that the Blazers have with Robert Williams III. Both players have played well for the Blazers, which has boosted their trade value. But the fact that they are playing well is also a reason for Portland to hold on to them.
Simons is just 25 years old and can fit into Porltand's rebuilding timeline if they decide to keep him around. Another factor to consider is that his contract is up after next season, and his next contract may be overvalued relative to his impact on winning.
It's a difficult decision for GM Joe Cronin to make. However, that choice becomes much easier if one of these players is available in a potential deal involving Simons.
1. Zion Williamson, New Orleans Pelicans
Zion Williamson has recovered from his hamstring injury, but injuries remain concerning for the former No. 1 overall pick. Even considering his injury history, it's a rare opportunity for the Blazers to land someone who fits their timeline, is on a team-friendly contract, and can likely be acquired at a reasonable price.
The stars aligned for Portland when Deni Avdija fit all of those criteria, and Cronin was aggressive in getting their guy, giving up future assets despite being in rebuilding mode. They should do the same with two-time All-Star Williamson, even if it means parting ways with Simons.
2. Jonathan Kuminga, Golden State Warriors
Jonathan Kuminga is out for at least three weeks with a right ankle sprain. It's unfortunate timing for Kuminga and the Warriors, as he was playing much better lately, averaging 21.0 points in December.
Because of his improved play, the Warriors' asking price on Kuminga may have gone up. Still, the Warriors could be open to moving their young wing if they want to better align their timeline with Steph Curry and Draymond Green's closing windows.
A Shaedon Sharpe-Kuminga pairing would provide the Blazers with two extremely athletic, high-upside players. Admittedly, the Curry-Simons fit isn't ideal for Golden State, as they have overlapping skill sets and similar strengths and weaknesses. However, multi-team trades are becoming increasingly frequent in the NBA, and this could be one of those scenarios.
3. Jarace Walker, Indiana Pacers
Jarace Walker doesn't have the franchise-altering upside like Williamson or Kuminga, but that also means he's likely more easily attainable. Walker is only averaging 17.4 minutes in his second season, as he's currently buried on Indiana's depth chart behind Pascal Siakam and Obi Toppin.
Walker has a safe floor as a 3-and-D forward, shooting 40 percent from deep. But he's also a former top-ten pick and just 23 years old, suggesting there's plenty of room for him to grow in the right situation.
In the short term, going from Simons to Walker would be a downgrade in many aspects, especially offensively. But Portland needs to play the long game since their current roster remains years away from a deep playoff run. Making this swap would help balance their roster by giving Henderson a starting role and finding a potential Jerami Grant replacement at the forward spot in Walker.