Anfernee Simons' potential departure this summer is a hot topic as he has one year remaining on his contract, and the Portland Trail Blazers could look to give Scoot Henderson an increased role after a promising sophomore campaign.
The most heavily rumored landing spot is the Orlando Magic, given Simons' hometown ties and their dire need for floor spacing around co-stars Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero. Orlando has two first-round picks in this year's draft, and Portland could look to add another piece to their young core that way.
But could they decide to package Simons and their No. 11 pick to move up in the draft instead? One intriguing trade destination is the New Orleans Pelicans, who have the No. 7 pick.
Blazers could package Anfernee Simons to move up in the draft
Vecenie and Bryce Simon recently previewed the Blazers' offseason on the Game Theory Podcast. In it, they propose a Blazers-Pelicans trade that makes sense for both parties.
Here is what that deal would look like:
Vecenie notes that the Pelicans need another guard after Dejounte Murray's brutal Achilles injury. Bringing in 25 Simons would align with the timeline of Zion Williamson should they decide to keep him around. Two-way wings Herb Jones and Trey Murphy III would also compensate for Simons' weaknesses on the defensive end.
For the Blazers, trading Simons to move up four spots may not seem overly significant. Still, it is a reasonable value after considering their backcourt situation and the fact that the draft is widely viewed to have a top-eight tier of prospects.
Who could Portland target with the No. 7 pick?
Jeremiah Fears is the one prospect out of that tier that wouldn't make sense, as there is too much overlap between him and Scoot Henderson. But if the first four picks are some combination of Cooper Flagg, Dylan Harper, Ace Bailey, and V. J. Edgecombe, that means Portland would be guaranteed to land one of Khaman Maluach, Kon Knueppel, or, ideally, Tre Johnson.
Those prospects have fewer question marks than those expected to be around at No. 11. Maluach measured similar to four-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert at the combine. Pairing him with Donovan Clingan would be a viable pathway to becoming an elite defense, and their promising shots suggest they could even play alongside each other for stretches.
Meanwhile, Knueppel and Johnson are reliable knockdown shooters, filling some of Simons' void. Johnson gets the nod simply because his shot creation makes it easier to see a pathway to stardom. Still, either guard would be a key addition to help unlock the Blazers' young core with their valuable floor spacing.
Shooting is a premium in today's NBA and something Portland desperately needs more of. They may not be able to find it at No. 11, but moving up would ensure that.
Landing former Blazers legend CJ McCollum is just the cherry on top to help Portland achieve its ambitious goal of returning to playoff relevancy as soon as next season.