The New York Knicks were a pleasant surprise in the 2022-23 NBA season. Plenty of their fans had thoughts of Victor Wembanyama before the season got underway. They had to cast those thoughts aside. The Knicks wouldn’t be in the lottery – in fact, they’d go on to win a playoff series.
By contrast, the Portland Trail Blazers were a disappointment. They were supposed to be playoff contenders after signing Jerami Grant and getting back a healthy Damian Lillard. It didn’t go that way. Instead, the Blazers would be one of the teams hoping to land the French phenom. They didn’t.
With that said, Scoot Henderson is more than a consolation prize. With their new franchise point guard in hand, the Blazers traded Damian Lillard to the Milwaukee Bucks. Now, this team is expected to take more rebuilding measures.
Could they send Anfernee Simons to the Knicks?
NBA Trade Proposal — New York Knicks Land Anfernee Simons
Portland Trail Blazers Receive: G/F Evan Fournier, G/F DaQuan Jeffries, 2026 First-Round Pick (NYK), 2028 First-Round Pick (NYK)
New York Knicks Receive: G Anfernee Simons
With that said, trading Lillard was the easy decision. No, it wasn’t easy emotionally. Lillard has been this team’s franchise player for nearly a decade. Yet, it was an easy decision, logically. It was time for these two sides to move on.
There are more decisions ahead. Some will be easier than others. The Blazers will likely look to move Malcolm Brogdon. He’s a useful veteran that a contender will covet. Grant is also a trade candidate – although we’ll see if his large contract hinders his trade value.
The Blazers will also have to decide Deandre Ayton and Robert Williams III. Can the two play together, or will they have to move one or the other? Then, there’s Simons.
NBA TRADES & RUMORS: Anfernee Simons, Portland Trail Blazers, New York Knicks Updates
The Blazers don’t have to trade him. On the other hand, there could be advantages to doing so. This could be the most challenging decision facing the Blazers.
Should they decide to move him to the Knicks?
Why The Portland Trail Blazers Do This Deal
The Blazers have a lot of guard talent. That doesn’t mean they’ve got to trade Simons. If they wanted to, they could experiment with three-guard lineups permanently. Shaedon Sharpe has the positional size to play the 3. Meanwhile, Simons is just 24. Why move him?
We suspect that Portland would do better keeping their guards in the backcourt on a long-term basis. A strong 3-and-D wing alongside Henderson and Sharpe in the backcourt will probably be a more logical formation.
The Blazers may not feel any pressure to move Simons, but in time, it could be best for the organization. Here, we’ve got them prioritizing assets in exchange for him. They’re getting a pair of first-round picks.
NBA TRADES & RUMORS: Anfernee Simons, Portland Trail Blazers, New York Knicks Updates
They should also be happy to land Fournier’s expiring contract. Moving Simons may not be easy, but it may be necessary. Should the Knicks want him?
Why The New York Knicks Do This Deal
This is not a seamless fit. The Knicks already start Jalen Brunson. He is a fixture in their starting lineup – Brunson looked like a star last season. Meanwhile, we’ve seen teams struggle with a small backcourt. Can Brunson and Simons co-exist?
It’s worth finding out. The offensive dynamic between them ought to be perfect. Simons is an elite movement shooter who can also self-create. Brunson is a self-creator who can also space the floor. This is a perfect dynamic – on one end of the floor, anyway.
On the other hand, having Mitchell Robinson as an anchor helps. So does having defensive wings like Josh Hart and Donte DiVincenzo.
NBA TRADES & RUMORS: Anfernee Simons, Portland Trail Blazers, New York Knicks Updates
Ultimately, it may be worth New York’s time to assemble this dynamic backcourt alongside Julius Randle. They could be an overwhelmingly effective offensive team. That ought to help them exceed expectations for the second year in a row.
