Portland Trail Blazers Vs. Orlando Magic Game Thursday Could Be Ultimate Anfernee Simons Trade “Showcase”

On a night when Anfernee Simons got the party started against the Miami Heat, scoring eight of the Portland Trail Blazers’ first 12 points, it was the kid from the Sunshine State who also got the last word. 

Amidst a fierce Heat fourth-quarter comeback Tuesday night, Simons, 25 years old and from the Orlando area, received a Scoot Henderson pass with 2:14 on the game clock. In one swift motion, he caught the rock near the coach’s box, pounding the pavement with a single right-handed dribble. As Simons crossed the three-point line into the paint, the 6’3” guard absorbed contact from rookie Pelle Larsson, released the ball high off his fingertips, and softly scored off the glass, putting Portland back up nine and sending a dagger through the heart of the humbled Heat. 

During the on-court, post-game interview, Simons said, “Just reading the game, not trying to force it too much. You know what time it is. 

“It’s time to win.”

Story Of The Night

Of course, the story of Tuesday night wasn’t Simons or his game-high 24 points. It wasn’t about the Blazers’ win or the Heat’s loss. 

Tuesday was once again about Jimmy Butler. 

Butler’s ongoing saga with the Heat begged for resolution with his initial trade request, but it’s since reached desperate times following his suspension from the team. 

The 35-year-old recently returned to the court, but, of course, petty warfare found its way back onto the floor, too, in the form of sneaker bombs aimed directly at The Godfather himself, Pat Riley. 

With all eyes on Butler (as well as the Phoenix Suns-Utah Jazz trade from earlier in the day), few gave the Blazers a second thought. 

But in that post-game interview with Simons, on a night when he hit six three-pointers and was hungry to win, there was some accidental irony—if not ironic foreshadowing—in the final question. 

“Are you excited to go back to Orlando?” Blazers broadcaster Brook Olzendam asked, previewing Thursday’s contest against the Magic.

“Oh, absolutely. Always. Always.”

The Magic’s Missing Piece

That question will go down as the meme of the season if Simons is dealt to the Magic.

That trade scenario, by the way, doesn’t come out of thin air. There’s something to it.  

Orlando, if you’ve tapped into any hypothetical trade ideas this season (or over the past two or three years), you’ve seen a popular Simons landing spot. And that’s putting it loosely because the Magic are really the most popular destination for trade packages around Portland’s lead guard. 

The Orlando hometown connection is a big deal. Everyone loves a homecoming, and the fanbase would embrace a local kid wearing the jersey as he enters his prime and finally experiences winning basketball. 

The Magic are more than just a feel-good destination, though. They’re the most logical landing spot. They’re on the uprise with a young, competitive core, and they wouldn’t need him to be a No. 1 or even No. 2 option most nights. 

Simons would give the Magic much-needed backcourt firepower, but Paolo Banchero, 22, is the face of the franchise, and Franz Wagner, 23, is living up to expectations after signing a five-year, $224 million extension. 

Everything about Orlando is ideal for Simons, who has confidently said on record that he just wants to be in a winning situation. But as always, the question is…

What Would a Trade Look Like?

Without getting into finer details, the Magic can build a trade package around a young player (Anthony Black, for example) and a first-round draft pick. 

Simons is worth a first-round draft pick, by the way. 

If the market doesn’t agree at this deadline, Joe Cronin should hold. And I don’t say that lightly, as someone who believes Cronin would cross a line from being patient to timid if he sat completely still this go-around. But Simons can’t be dealt for pennies on the dollar, either, or for a return that does nothing for the future. 

Is It Likely? 

As of this writing, the rumor mill is quiet for Simons. Back on Dec. 15, Bovada had Orlando as the favorite (+400) if Simons were dealt. But today, they’ve removed the guard from its site, leaving Deandre Ayton as the only Blazers player with live odds on where he could be traded. 

Just because the rumor mill may have stalled, that doesn’t mean the market is dry. There will be a market for a player with Simons’ scoring ability and skill set who doesn’t turn 26 until June 8. It just depends on whether the deal would realistically accomplish two main goals: Clear the runway for Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe as offensive leaders and provide the team with additional assets to fall back on. 

Showcase

I don’t have the privilege of being in the room with Cronin and head coach Chauncey Billups ahead of the Feb. 6 trade deadline. But I have to imagine the discussion right now, night in and night out, either hints strongly at or outright points to showcasing Simons, Deandre Ayton (who recorded 22 points and 15 rebounds on Tuesday), Jerami Grant and Robert Williams III. 

We’re at a point where Simons may be the most likely to go based simply on being Portland’s most valuable asset. Ayton and Grant’s contracts may be tough for rival front offices to swallow, and RWIII’s injury history makes him a gamble for contenders. 

All that, plus Simons’ usage, takes reps away from Scoot and Shaedon, who many see as the starting long-term backcourt. 

Of course, Simons’ fate won’t really come down to one game in Orlando. Barring a 50-point outburst, the Magic won’t be calling to get ahead of the San Antonio Spurs or Dallas Mavericks with an A+ offer Friday morning. 

Simons’ body of work this season hasn’t always pointed to his full potential, but a lot of it has, and teams have seen it for years, not just when he comes to their cities. 

That said, Portland should and likely will treat this game as a showcase. Billups, perhaps at Cronin’s directive, likely draws up as many plays for Simons as he can. He should let him freelance every chance he gets, and he shouldn’t sweat it if it feels like Shae and Scoot took nights off by the final buzzer. 

That should be by design. As a result, it should have everyone in Orlando thinking about Simons—regardless of what color shoes Jimmy Butler wears against Milwaukee on TNT that night.

About Bryant Knox 128 Articles
Bryant was drafted to Oregon Sports News in 2011 as a fresh-faced, fervorous fan ready to take NBA media by storm. So many years later, the face may be a tad less fresh, but the fervor hasn’t faded. In addition to being an OSN Writer, Bryant holds the role of Bleacher Report’s NBA Editor. By representing both sites, Bryant has accomplished something not even LeBron James could do in his historic career: He figured out how to play for the two best teams in the game at the exact same time. You go, Bryant 💪. And go, Blazers 🌹