3 Trail Blazers who might not last the entire 2024-25 season in Portland

The Portland Trail Blazers have a half-baked team heading into the 2024 preseason. It's currently a messy roster that will challenge head coach Chauncey Billups to figure out the optimal starting lineup and rotations. But it's not just about playing the best players to maximize the number of wins in the 2024-25 NBA season.

The Blazers have complicated roster dynamics. They want to embrace a full-on rebuild and have promising, young talent, but better players who may not be a long-term part of their plans sit atop the depth chart. As a result, multiple players could find themselves wearing a different team's jersey by the trade deadline.

1. Anfernee Simons

The Blazers are in a roster conundrum with Anfernee Simons still on their team. On the one hand, Simons is one of Portland's best players and still only 25 years old, so he should fit into their rebuilding timeline. On the other hand, the Blazers have made it clear that they want their backcourt of the future to be Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe, which further complicates Simons' long-term fit in Rip City.

Simons is better than both players at this point in their careers, meaning it's hard not to start him over either Henderson or Sharpe next season. For two reasons, the Blazers need to give Henderson and Sharpe the keys to the team as soon as possible. One is to maximize their development, and the other is to embrace a full-on tank in hopes of securing a top 2025 draft pick. Factor in these reasons and Simons' trade value around the league, and it's reasonable to expect him to be moved at some point this year.