The Portland Trail Blazers have a difficult decision regarding what to do with Anfernee Simons.
On the one hand, they could trade him before the February 6 deadline to clear a path for the future backcourt of Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe, especially considering he's set for a substantial payday after his contract is up after next season.
On the other hand, Simons is just 25 years old and still fits the Blazers' rebuilding timeline. Portland is also already struggling with their three-point shooting and playmaking. Do they want to move someone who helps in those two key areas?
We will find out in one week which route GM Joe Cronin decides to take. But if the Blazers decide to trade Simons, it's easy to find potential landing spots that make sense. His combo guard skill set and three-point shooting ability make him a good fit for several teams.
One team that could be looking to upgrade their roster is the Los Angeles Clippers, who are sixth in the Western Conference and still a piece or two away from making a deep playoff run. A Simons-James Harden backcourt pairing would be difficult for opposing teams to defend. That would make the Clippers a tough out in the playoffs when considering them in tandem with Kawhi Leonard, Ivica Zubac, and the always-underrated Norman Powell.
Blazers send Anfernee Simons to Clippers in mock trade
But what would it take for Portland to part ways with one of its best players? A trade proposed by Sporting News' Nathaniel Holloway has the Blazers receiving a package that's a mixed bag of draft capital, salary fillers, and a hint of upside.
Here is the deal in full:
The mock trade doesn't specify what draft capital Portland would be getting back, but for the sake of grading it, we will assume that the Blazers receive one first-round pick. The Blazers would also need to waive one player to make it work, but P.J. Tucker is on an expiring deal, so that's essentially a wash.
Should the Trail Blazers accept?
Duop Reath was recently named the most likely Blazers player to be traded by Bleacher Report's Dan Favale. It wouldn't be surprising to see him included in any deal the Blazers make at the deadline, given he's on a minimum contract and his role and production have declined this year. But does it make sense for the Blazers to accept this package for Simons and Reath?
Bones Hyland is 24 years old and could be a possible backup point guard for Scoot Henderson. He's shooting 37.7% from deep this season and could help offset at least some of the shooting loss from Simons' departure.
Outside of the first-round pick, the most intriguing piece in this deal would be former Blazer Derrick Jones Jr. He spent one season in 2020-21 in Portland and wasn't very impactful that year, averaging 6.8 points. But Jones has improved since leaving Portland, particularly as a shooter, as he's connecting on 37.1% of his threes this year.
The Blazers need to bolster their wing depth, and Jones would be an underrated addition as someone who is just reaching his prime, having a career-best season at 27 years old. Not to mention, he's an incredible athlete. The electrifying dunks that would take place between "Airplane Mode" and Shaedon Sharpe almost make it worth taking this deal alone.
The idea of adding Jones and Hyland to Portland's young core and still landing a first-round pick seems like a solid return for Simons.