Anfernee Simons, Portland Trail Blazers.
Portland Trail Blazers GM Neil Olshey didn’t do much during this free agency. Not great, considering how last season’s results and that Damian Lillard is less than happy with the roster. However, Olshey didn’t have a lot of money to spend. So, it’s hard to acquire the top free agents when you don’t have a lot of money. The other side of the argument is trades.
While the Blazers may not have had much money to spend, they certainly could have made more than a trade or two. Getting Larry Nance Jr at the expense of Derrick Jones Jr was a great move. However, the included future first-round pick, even if it is lottery-protected, is not great. As long as Lillard is on the roster, the Blazers won’t have a lottery pick. Outside of significant injuries, of course.
So, a middle to late first-round pick for Nance on an aging veteran roster with no clear future is not a very smart move. But, really, where do the Blazers go after Lillard and CJ McCollum retire or are dealt at the end of their careers? Jusuf Nurkic? He may not want to be in Portland that much longer. Also, building around a not overly athletic fragile big man is not a good idea either.
We’re not even going to acknowledge the national media’s incessant pushing of Ben Simmons to the Portland Trail Blazers. The package put together to acquire him is costly. Plus, every NBA fan saw how much of a liability he is in the playoffs. However, moving Lillard to pair Simmons with McCollum and Norman Powell isn’t a terrible idea. Especially if Philadelphia includes a young player and a couple of draft picks. It’s just leaving out all the broken hearts in Rip City after trading Lillard. So, where do the Blazers go from here?
Next: Page 2 Relying on the Youngsters
The Portland Trail Blazers are forced to examine the youth on their team. The young guys are the reigning dunk champion Anfernee Simons, Nassir Little, and CJ Elleby. We’re going to look at these guys exclusively. Mainly, they’re the most recent draft picks that have played in an NBA game. However, Greg Brown III did have a good Summer League and put on quite the show!
Simons is a young athletic guard. Unfortunately, he got lost in former head coach Terry Stotts‘ rotation. With Powell, McCollum, and Lillard ahead of him on the depth chart, it will be hard for him to get a lot of minutes. However, this will be Simons’ fourth year in the league (can you believe he’s only 22), and at this point in his career, he should be able to be counted on. The expectation should be that he comes off the bench for Lillard. Simons can push for getting the 6th Man of the Year award this season. He needs to get at least 20 minutes a game to do that.
Little is another athletic wing player. The biggest concern with him is his ability to shoot. The biggest showing of promising growth is the improved shooting. Last season he shot 35% from three-point range. If he can become a reliable three and D player, this will be huge for the Portland Trail Blazers. Unfortunately, he’s most likely going to be buried behind Robert Covington, Nance, and Powell. However, Nance most likely won’t play much small forward, so there is a chance Little can get some minutes.
Next: Page 3 The Future
Elleby is a player that many did not like the Blazers drafting. Many believed Elleby could be gotten later in the draft or from the undrafted free agent pool. Count me as one of the people who was not a fan of his drafting. However, Elleby is making me think differently about him.
During his rookie year, he showed he could play in the NBA. But, don’t believe me; look at his stat line in the February 4th game against Philadelphia. He shot 55.6% from the field, playing starter’s minutes. Finishing with 15 points, seven rebounds, one assist, two blocks, and one steal. Of course, like all rookies, he needs to work on his three-point shooting. But, if he can crack double-digit minutes, it will be a success.
This year Little and Simons need to play. These two need to show they can be no less than rotation pieces in the NBA. Not only for their own careers but the Portland Trail Blazers as well. As previously mentioned, the organization does not have a clearly defined successor which to build around.
Also, the organization most likely won’t be picking in the lottery any time soon unless the team is hit with the injury bug. Or if Olshey doesn’t trade up into the lottery. That will be an expensive deal. The clearest expectation is that Simons will take over as the franchise’s face once Lillard is gone. However, Simons needs to show he can be that guy.
What are your thoughts on the future of the Portland Trail Blazers post-Damian Lillard? Please share your thoughts with us.