The Portland Trail Blazers should trade Anfernee Simons this offseason, and the Orlando Magic are the obvious landing spot. It would be a homecoming for Simons as he was born just minutes away. The trade could be a massive win for both parties. It allows Portland to solve its backcourt crunch and gives the Magic the shot creation it desperately needs next to Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner.
The Blazers made a 15-win improvement but must decide which guards to prioritize. Simons was tied for the lead in minutes per game this season with Shaedon Sharpe playing over 31 each night. That left Scoot Henderson getting just 26.7 per game off the bench. Sharpe gets brought up in trade rumors, but Simons is entering the final year of his deal and extension-eligible. It would be a wise time to move on and open more run for Scoot.
The Magic appear committed to upgrading in the backcourt, and John Hollinger proposed the perfect trade for both sides on the Zach Lowe Show. This one feels like a no-brainer that both parties should look to make happen before the draft.
Blazers should trade Anfernee Simons to the Magic
The Western Conference is loaded, and Portland has two gigantic contracts weighing down their books. They would love to dump Deandre Ayton or Jerami Grant, but no team wants to take on those salaries in the apron era. The Trail Blazers are stuck but should use that to their advantage to add more talent.
Simons is extension-eligible this summer and will want more than $100 million in his next contract. The 25-year-old is just entering his prime as a proven 20-point-per-game scorer. Some team will give him a massive payday. The Blazers can afford it with Ayton’s deal coming off their books, but it means never maximizing Scoot Henderson.
Deni Avdija’s late-season breakout only gives Portland more reason to trade their top scorer. It would create more on-ball opportunities for their remaining young backcourt duo and leave plenty of chances for Avdija to blossom as a scorer.
The Magic may be willing to overpay. They need an influx of playmaking and shot creation in the backcourt. Orlando is never a player in free agency and has four draft picks this year that could be packaged to make a move. It would allow the Blazers to get more talent in the door and give the Magic a serious shot at contending in the wide-open Eastern Conference.
Trading Anfernee Simsons to Orlando makes too much sense for the Portland Trail Blazers. It gives him a chance to return home and make a deep playoff run. The Blazers can stockpile more assets and open more run for Henderson and Sharpe. Everybody wins, so do not be surprised to see this become a reality in the coming weeks.