Toronto Raptors Receive: G Anfernee Simons (Sign & Trade), G Eric Bledsoe, 2025 First-Round Pick (MIL)
Portland Trail Blazers Receive: F Pascal Siakam
If the Toronto Raptors did decide they needed to acquire a guard on Scottie Barnes’ timeline, they’re not going to do much better than Anfernee Simons.
He was something of an unknown quantity prior to 2021-22. That’s dramatically changed. The fourth-year guard increased his points per game from 7.8 to 17.3 last season. That improvement garnered him fringe consideration for the league’s Most Improved Player award.
Granted, much of that progress came while the Portland Trail Blazers were pretty blatantly tanking. It’s not fair to hold that against Simons. He was given an opportunity, and he made the most of it. It’s not far-fetched to predict All-Star appearances in his future.
This deal probably sets the Raptors back next season. It could also be a massive benefit for them in the long term. If Barnes reaches his lofty ceiling, pairing him with a shot-creating guard instead of Siakam could pay dividends down the road. Not only is Siakam similar, he’s also likely to be aging out of his prime as Barnes is entering his.
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As for the Blazers, they’re getting the playmaking forward they’ve never had to pair with Lillard. If they’re insistent on keeping Simons to go all-in for a playoff run next season, the Raptors may be able to accommodate that, but it will cost them.
