Simonsays Charlotte

[MasterIchiro]

Blazers - Trade Anfernee Simons for 31, *34, 2027 Blazers/Pelicans 2nd (more favorable), 15.5 million TPE, Ben Sheppard, Vasa Micić (expiring, team option), Taj Gibson (expiring), clearing the path to play out the season with their young backcourt duo Scoot Henderson / Shaedon Sharpe.

Hornets - trade Cody Martin, Vasa Micić, Taj Gibson, pick 31, 34, 2027 Blazers/Pelicans 2nd for Anfernee Simons & James Johnson, adding a secondary playmaker to the 1st unit, shifting Josh Green to the bench in place of Cody Martin who is redundant.

Pacers - trade Ben Sheppard & James Johnson for Cody Martin, upgrading their defense in a consolidation move. Pacers have a team option on Martin for next year. So, he helps for 2 playoff runs with a 6 seed in sight.

*pick 34 (Hornets) is currently protected 31-55 and owned by Indiana. It is routed to the Blazers and Charlotte removes protections.

[Tim Lehrbach]

Blazers can't accept fast enough. I think they'd have to cut Banton or Walker or somebody, so if anybody wants one thrown in, have at it.

[JRoy]

POR loves this deal.

Time for Simons to move on to any other team.

[Mavrelous]

I don't think Pacers accept, they like Sheppard, and like not paying tax, I think Blazers accept the deal w/o Pacers anyway.

[Fitz303]

No chance Portland's FO does that. Simons has had a bad start to the season, and I know most fans are eager to just throw Scoot into the fire a this point, but I just don't see any chance the front office lets Simons go for cap space and a few 2nds.

[Blazinaway]

No chance Portland's FO does that. Simons has had a bad start to the season, and I know most fans are eager to just throw Scoot into the fire a this point, but I just don't see any chance the front office lets Simons go for cap space and a few 2nds.

are you serious? Por should take that deal and run!

[Fitz303]

No chance Portland's FO does that. Simons has had a bad start to the season, and I know most fans are eager to just throw Scoot into the fire a this point, but I just don't see any chance the front office lets Simons go for cap space and a few 2nds.

are you serious? Por should take that deal and run!

That's fine if you think they should do it. While I probably wouldn't do this trade, personally (I just don't believe in Scoot enough to give him the keys, and would rather see if Simons can rehab a bit of value), that's not what I was getting at. I'd bet a large sum of money that Portland's FO does not make a Simons trade for cap space and a couple of 2nds. What about Portland's FO has shown them to make this kind of deal? The Norman Powell deal is the only time I've seen them make anything close to this kind of deal. Forgetting the fact that, given the chance, I don't think they'd do that deal again, any other trades have been very specific to getting players with potential, or 1st rd picks back (save for GPII which seemed like a different kind of story). Like it or not, I think they'd hold onto Simons through next season before they'd take a cap space deal (something they have no use for this season). Maybe I'm wrong, it's just not this front office's MO, and Scoot hasn't been good enough to make room for.

[MasterIchiro]

I don't think Pacers accept, they like Sheppard, and like not paying tax, I think Blazers accept the deal w/o Pacers anyway.

It was a bit of a challenge for the Pacers to add Martin without losing a player of consequence to make the salaries work.

The other player who works is I. Jackson. There's also the issue of roster spots with the Hornets and Blazers.

[MasterIchiro]

Blazers can't accept fast enough. I think they'd have to cut Banton or Walker or somebody, so if anybody wants one thrown in, have at it.

Yes, Blazers would have to cut one player. But given the size of the TPE (15.5 million) and the relief from paying Simons 27-28 million next season, it's a small loss in a large sea of gain.

I'm assuming the Blazers buy out Taj and Micić, so I would think they need to keep Banton as PG2. Or they could play it safe and retain Micić on top of cutting Walker.

They do have to make one small cut to move this large contract though. These are high quality second round picks (3) and significant cap relief plus a large TPE to facilitate trades for teams restricted by the 2nd apron crunch. So the Blazers stand to add more second rounders or maybe a first rounder as part of deals to sell Robert Williams III, Ayton, J. Grant.

[cucad8]

No chance Portland's FO does that. Simons has had a bad start to the season, and I know most fans are eager to just throw Scoot into the fire a this point, but I just don't see any chance the front office lets Simons go for cap space and a few 2nds.

I agree with this. I know fans are tired of him, I am to an extent as well, but I don't see the front office valuing expirings and 2 2nds to "dump" him. The optics of it to a casual fan also would not look great.

[MasterIchiro]

I don't think Pacers accept, they like Sheppard, and like not paying tax, I think Blazers accept the deal w/o Pacers anyway.

It was a bit of a challenge for the Pacers to add Martin without losing a player of consequence to make the salaries work.

The other player who works is I. Jackson. There's also the issue of roster spots with the Hornets and Blazers.

Even so, Blazers could take Martin and reroute him somewhere for a second round pick. I just felt the Pacers could use defense overall and wing defense is valuable. Martin is having a strong year defensively. Pacers seem to have plenty of firepower on offense.

[jbk1234]

The Hornets defense won't be salvageable after this trade. You'll have to move Miles at a minimum.

[mg]

Hornets shouldn't do this trade. I won't go into all of Simons' warts execpt to say he is a really bad fit next to Lamelo.

[MasterIchiro]

The Hornets defense won't be salvageable after this trade. You'll have to move Miles at a minimum.

The Hornets defense does not hinge on Cody Martin off the bench.

But you're right, a move would need to be made at some point to make the defense more competitive. But right now the offense is not competitive and neither is the defense.

Next year is when the Hornets want to compete on both ends.

This year, Hornets want losses but we want to at least have a product that has more entertainment value.

[MasterIchiro]

Hornets shouldn't do this trade. I won't go into all of Simons' warts execpt to say he is a really bad fit next to Lamelo.

On the flip side, Simons could recover value in a contract year next season. His numbers are way down off his career averages.

At one point Blazers wanted 2 firsts for him. Hard now to find a bidder who could present an offer greater than 31 + 34 in the 2025 draft. Considering 30 is a first round pick, those are like cheaper late first round talents.

[yosemiteben]

The Hornets defense won't be salvageable after this trade. You'll have to move Miles at a minimum.

The Hornets defense does not hinge on Cody Martin off the bench.

I'm assuming he's referring to replacing a defender in the starting lineup with Simons. If the long term play here is Simons starts, then you are locking in to long term deficit on defense with your starting 5.

[Blazinaway]

IMO Simons would be an excellent 6th man but having been a starter in Portland that may be difficult for him to adjust to mentally. Going to a new team may be different. He's starting to regain his form and play better.

[MasterIchiro]

The Hornets defense won't be salvageable after this trade. You'll have to move Miles at a minimum.

The Hornets defense does not hinge on Cody Martin off the bench.

I'm assuming he's referring to replacing a defender in the starting lineup with Simons. If the long term play here is Simons starts, then you are locking in to long term deficit on defense with your starting 5.

The long term play is Simons as 6th man.

[Blazinaway]

The Hornets defense does not hinge on Cody Martin off the bench.

I'm assuming he's referring to replacing a defender in the starting lineup with Simons. If the long term play here is Simons starts, then you are locking in to long term deficit on defense with your starting 5.

The long term play is Simons as 6th man.

Yep, that would be where he should be, a new team/coach would be the way to go for that

[Myth]

IMO Simons would be an excellent 6th man but having been a starter in Portland that may be difficult for him to adjust to mentally. Going to a new team may be different. He's starting to regain his form and play better.

I think it would be a classic case of winning fixes everything. It isn’t like he is used to starting on a contender. But if he gets 6th man minutes on a good team while getting paid, I suspect he’d be fine. If Portland benched him now to start Scoot and Sharpe while continuing to lose, that i could see him having a problem with.