All things Anfernee Simons

[Knightro]

It’s probably important because no projection is required. No matter what team Simons plays for, you can expect volume 3 point shooting at >~38%.

We’ve posted on here for a long time.. we both know the list of Per 36 all stars that never lived up to their projections is almost as long as the list of summer league superstars that amounted to nothing.

Are you getting the Monk that shot 39% from 3 in >30mpg or the Monk that shot 30% from 3 in 2024?

I’d be happy with Monk I just see a bit more offensive upside in Simons and his shooting is a level above Monk’s.

I do think there's more to it than just on-court ability though.

1. Monk is a free agent and wouldn't require any assets other than cap space to acquire, whereas Simons would require a trade. So you're talking about...

Monk + retaining Black/Jett/Carter/Cole/all your picks for other trades

or

Simons - some combination of Black, Jett, Carter, Cole and/or multiple draft picks

2. Monk is likely signing a 4-year deal at approximately 22M AAV this summer. Simons only has 2 years left on his deal that pays him 26.7M AAV. If Simons agrees to a deal at the same % of the cap as what he's at right now, which is right around 18% of the cap, you're talking about a deal that starts at 30.7M in the summer of 2026 with 8% raises.

So over the next four years you can either pay Monk $88M or you can pay Simons approximately $117M. Not a completely insignificant gap.

Beyond that...

I think with his AST% and AST/100 metrics being what they are, that there's at least the possibility that Monk could be a primary playmaker on a team like Orlando. Simons, at least to me, is purely a shooting guard at this point and the Magic would need to either A. find a PG in addition to Simons or B. go with a Suggs/Simons backcourt with both guys operating as secondary playmakers, with Paolo and Franz still handling the primary playmaking duties.

[VFX]

Problem I have with Monk compared to Simons is more about the role and contract than anything else.

Do you believe Simons fills in as a point guard better than Monk?
Monk will cost more money on a longer contract should the experiment not work.
Which back court works better? Suggs/Monk or Simons/Suggs?

Either way, I dont view Suggs as a point guard and you arent paying either of these options as a guy off the bench. If that isn't the case you should sooner go all in for Trae Young and call it for the next 5-7 seasons.

[Skybox]

I LOVE Simons + his gravity but I a few questions & concerns:

1. Cost. If 2 picks + cap absorbing isn't enough, look elsewhere. Blazers are about to be a tax team so our ability to help shed salary shouldn't be overlooked as an asset.

2. Defense. He sucks and lacks instincts. Can that be masked by Mosley with schemes? Can playing with better defensive pressure push him to be better?

3. Playmaking & tablesetting. I love his offensive stylistic fit as a scorer, but I don't view him as the playmaking passer we may need. Maybe I'm wrong in my evaluation of what fits best with our core.

4. FT attemps. Not that good at drawing fouls. Just an observation.

As a POR fan from the Walton days, this is all true.

Simons is an excellent shooter on high volume, and has worked on his driving game but shies from contact. More likely to shoot an old school running hook than drive for a dunk.

His athleticism does not translate to in game situations. He is physically weak.

He is a poor primary playmaker but a solid secondary playmaker.

His defense is awful, but surrounded by defensive players would not look quite as bad as it has in POR.

Don’t buy any talk about potential, he is pretty much a finished product.

Jroy knows Simons more than anyone here, listen to him.

Portland s fans want Simons out and king s fans want monk to stay

This is very telling

As if ORL fans all have the same evaluations of Magic players

…plus, if you read what he’s saying, Simons would be a good fit. JRoy and I have shared a lot of trade ideas. I’m pretty sure we both agree that:
1. Simons is not a complete player or savior for any team
2. He’s probably odd man out in POR’s young backcourt
3. He’d fit well in ORL

JRoy, correct me if I’m misinterpreting

[Knightro]

Problem I have with Monk compared to Simons is more about the role and contract than anything else.

Do you believe Simons fills in as a point guard better than Monk?
Monk will cost more money on a longer contract should the experiment not work.
Which back court works better? Suggs/Monk or Simons/Suggs?

Either way, I dont view Suggs as a point guard and you arent paying either of these options as a guy off the bench. If that isn't the case you should sooner go all in for Trae Young and call it for the next 5-7 seasons.

Here's how I see it...

Suggs/Simons backcourt = they're both secondary playmakers with Paolo/Franz as the primary playmaker

Monk/Suggs backcourt = Monk is the primary playmaker in the backcourt with one of Paolo/Franz (probably Franz) shifting to a more secondary playmaker role

If the front office doesn't see Monk as capable of being a starting primary playmaker, I just wouldn't sign him.

And I prefer trading for Trae Young to all these other options.

[VFX]

Problem I have with Monk compared to Simons is more about the role and contract than anything else.

Do you believe Simons fills in as a point guard better than Monk?
Monk will cost more money on a longer contract should the experiment not work.
Which back court works better? Suggs/Monk or Simons/Suggs?

Either way, I dont view Suggs as a point guard and you arent paying either of these options as a guy off the bench. If that isn't the case you should sooner go all in for Trae Young and call it for the next 5-7 seasons.

Here's how I see it...

Suggs/Simons backcourt = they're both secondary playmakers with Paolo/Franz as the primary playmaker

Monk/Suggs backcourt = Monk is the primary playmaker in the backcourt with one of Paolo/Franz (probably Franz) shifting to a more secondary playmaker role

If the front office doesn't see Monk as capable of being a starting primary playmaker, I just wouldn't sign him.

And I prefer trading for Trae Young to all these other options.

So you see Monk as more of a primary playmaker than Simons?

[JRoy]

As a POR fan from the Walton days, this is all true.

Simons is an excellent shooter on high volume, and has worked on his driving game but shies from contact. More likely to shoot an old school running hook than drive for a dunk.

His athleticism does not translate to in game situations. He is physically weak.

He is a poor primary playmaker but a solid secondary playmaker.

His defense is awful, but surrounded by defensive players would not look quite as bad as it has in POR.

Don’t buy any talk about potential, he is pretty much a finished product.

Jroy knows Simons more than anyone here, listen to him.

Portland s fans want Simons out and king s fans want monk to stay

This is very telling

As if ORL fans all have the same evaluations of Magic players

…plus, if you read what he’s saying, Simons would be a good fit. JRoy and I have shared a lot of trade ideas. I’m pretty sure we both agree that:
1. Simons is not a complete player or savior for any team
2. He’s probably odd man out in POR’s young backcourt
3. He’d fit well in ORL

JRoy, correct me if I’m misinterpreting

Agreed on all points.

Only need to hammer out a deal that works for both sides.

[Ducklett]

Problem I have with Monk compared to Simons is more about the role and contract than anything else.

Do you believe Simons fills in as a point guard better than Monk?
Monk will cost more money on a longer contract should the experiment not work.
Which back court works better? Suggs/Monk or Simons/Suggs?

Either way, I dont view Suggs as a point guard and you arent paying either of these options as a guy off the bench. If that isn't the case you should sooner go all in for Trae Young and call it for the next 5-7 seasons.

Here's how I see it...

Suggs/Simons backcourt = they're both secondary playmakers with Paolo/Franz as the primary playmaker

Monk/Suggs backcourt = Monk is the primary playmaker in the backcourt with one of Paolo/Franz (probably Franz) shifting to a more secondary playmaker role

If the front office doesn't see Monk as capable of being a starting primary playmaker, I just wouldn't sign him.

And I prefer trading for Trae Young to all these other options.

I don't get the Trae love. We have two things going for us on the Magic: defensive intensity and chemistry. And the guy you want to bring in is a top 5 worst defender possibly all time and runs teammates off or has beef with his current teammates constantly. He would come in thinking the offense needs to work around him and dribble the air out of the ball while Paolo and Franz afk in the corners and then cheers the other teams players on on defense.

I rather any other option over that and it is sincerely not close. Cade, Simons, Monk, Tyus, Dinwiddie, Ivey, the dude off the Spurs. Anyone else.

[Knightro]

So you see Monk as more of a primary playmaker than Simons?

I do, yes.

AST Per 100
Monk: 9.0 last two years
Simons: 6.6 last two years

AST%
Monk: 27.1% last two years
Simons: 22.4% last two years

If they played the same amount of MPG, I believe Monk's assist totals would be significantly higher.

[Knightro]

I don't get the Trae love. We have two things going for us on the Magic: defensive intensity and chemistry. And the guy you want to bring in is a top 5 worst defender possibly all time and runs teammates off or has beef with his current teammates constantly. He would come in thinking the offense needs to work around him and dribble the air out of the ball while Paolo and Franz afk in the corners and then cheers the other teams players on on defense.

I rather any other option over that and it is sincerely not close. Cade, Simons, Monk, Tyus, Dinwiddie, Ivey, the dude off the Spurs. Anyone else.

Trae Young, statistically speaking, is no worse defensively than Simons, Sexton, Monk or Tyus or Russell. They're all universally considered to be bad defenders.

But Trae is far better offensively than any of them.

[Audi]

How much of the "need someone to orchestrate the offense" narrative is due to what Paolo said? I know it's always been something we've talked about needing, but it's starting to seem like it's becoming more important than getting a high volume sniper from 3 at one of the guard positions to space the floor. So are we leaning too heavily into Paolo's words here? We may not need another "offensive hub" but we absolutely still need a threat from distance.

[The-Stallion70]

Paolo said he doesnt want another scorer, he wants a PG to organize the offense. Simons is a scorer who cant organize offense badum tss.
We really want to pretend smaller Tim Hardaway jr. will somehow fix our offense ? Paolo and Franz can move all over the court but Simons just cant create for them at high enough level. People act like Simons and Young are in similar tier as passers.

Alot of stuff being thrown around about Simons that simply isn't true.

Simons cant organize offense

Simons cant create

Fact is, you dont average 22.6 ppg and 5.5 apg in the NBA by accident.

Evan Fournier averaged 20ppg and 4apg the year before we traded him. You absolutely can get those stats accidently.

Fournier was a good player who fell off as soon as he left the team. Dont fall into this groupthink on the Magic forum spearheaded by SOUL saying that he was a bad player.

But I wouldn't put it past this place.

[zaymon]

With Paolo, Franz, and Simons you have a three headed monster that on any given night all three are capable of being your #1 scorer. Between those three starting that’s an easy 60+ points per night with 3 guys.

Can anyone provide the top 3 player scoring avg per team or the 10 highest scoring trios?

Points dont add up like that, look at Phoenix Suns.
Paolo, Franz and Simons follow the worst constructed teams right now. 3 scorers with noone to really set the offense.
Assets used on Simons are assets we cant use in hipothetical Young trade.

Why aren't you pushing for Cade over Young? If you simply want a guy who can set the offense (they don't really exist anymore) the one that would actually be obtainable who does it best would be Cade, not Trae.

I think Young is more obtainable than Cade. I am also not the biggest Cade fan. He is not that athletic, not that good of a shooter and good not great passer. Before the draft i didnt have him #1 on my board.

[Residual-Heat]

How much of the "need someone to orchestrate the offense" narrative is due to what Paolo said? I know it's always been something we've talked about needing, but it's starting to seem like it's becoming more important than getting a high volume sniper from 3 at one of the guard positions to space the floor. So are we leaning too heavily into Paolo's words here? We may not need another "offensive hub" but we absolutely still need a threat from distance.

i feel like this is true for people who want the Magic to sign Tyus Jones, but Monk I think is a nice balance between shooting, scoring and playmaking.

[Residual-Heat]

Another thing I like that Monk has played alongside other stars. Lebron, AD, Fox, Sabonis. He came off the bench in Sacramento even though he's better than Huerter. Never complained about it. Just put his ego aside and did what the coach thinks is best.

Simons started some games with Lillard, but he looked better without him.

[Audi]

Monk has some really weird season splits from 3.
2022-2023
PreASB - 32%
PostASB - 42%
PO - 33%

2023-2024
PreASB - 37%
PostASB - 27%

Don't know what to make of that except 35% career shooter is about right but it's going to come in two extremes.

[VFX]

How much of the "need someone to orchestrate the offense" narrative is due to what Paolo said? I know it's always been something we've talked about needing, but it's starting to seem like it's becoming more important than getting a high volume sniper from 3 at one of the guard positions to space the floor. So are we leaning too heavily into Paolo's words here? We may not need another "offensive hub" but we absolutely still need a threat from distance.

I was kinda screaming this all season before Paolo said anything. It was kind of obvious considering he really struggled to get to his spots on the floor. The result of him being the primary initiator last season was a crazy amount of turnovers and a stagnant offense.

The two biggest problems are playmaking at the point of attack and volume scoring from outside. Ideally they find someone that does both of these things.

[Ducklett]

Alot of stuff being thrown around about Simons that simply isn't true.

Simons cant organize offense

Simons cant create

Fact is, you dont average 22.6 ppg and 5.5 apg in the NBA by accident.

Evan Fournier averaged 20ppg and 4apg the year before we traded him. You absolutely can get those stats accidently.

Fournier was a good player who fell off as soon as he left the team. Dont fall into this groupthink on the Magic forum spearheaded by SOUL saying that he was a bad player.

But I wouldn't put it past this place.

Why did he fall off to the point of unplayability once he left? Because of age? He was only in his 20s. Because of an injury? He was only listed on the injury report for a sore ankle and out for a handful of games? Because his buddy ball buddy went to a different team? I am curious to know.

I don't get the Trae love. We have two things going for us on the Magic: defensive intensity and chemistry. And the guy you want to bring in is a top 5 worst defender possibly all time and runs teammates off or has beef with his current teammates constantly. He would come in thinking the offense needs to work around him and dribble the air out of the ball while Paolo and Franz afk in the corners and then cheers the other teams players on on defense.

I rather any other option over that and it is sincerely not close. Cade, Simons, Monk, Tyus, Dinwiddie, Ivey, the dude off the Spurs. Anyone else.

Trae Young, statistically speaking, is no worse defensively than Simons, Sexton, Monk or Tyus or Russell. They're all universally considered to be bad defenders.

But Trae is far better offensively than any of them.

Trae also got into multiple fights with coach Nate McMillan, he had reportedly had issues with Cam and Heurter that got them dealt and he had Dejounte Murray intentionally ignoring him from February onward including that hilarious spectacle after their play-in game where Murray went at him before halftime and reportedly they had to be separated in the tunnel/locker room area. There is also a lot of reports around the league about teams valuing Dejounte over Trae because of money and fit with their team. We got a good thing going here and I rather not throw it all away for Trae Young.

[Audi]

How much of the "need someone to orchestrate the offense" narrative is due to what Paolo said? I know it's always been something we've talked about needing, but it's starting to seem like it's becoming more important than getting a high volume sniper from 3 at one of the guard positions to space the floor. So are we leaning too heavily into Paolo's words here? We may not need another "offensive hub" but we absolutely still need a threat from distance.

I was kinda screaming this all season before Paolo said anything. It was kind of obvious considering he really struggled to get to his spots on the floor. The result of him being the primary initiator last season was a crazy amount of turnovers and a stagnant offense.

The two biggest problems are playmaking at the point of attack and volume scoring from outside. Ideally they find someone that does both of these things.

For sure.

Do you lean toward one over the other in importance?

[three3d]

35 YEARS OF BASKETBALL IN ORLANDO
And Penny Hardaway has been our best PG
Nick Anderson has been our best SG
Why????? Why don’t we value the guard position? Why can’t we/shouldn’t we for once fix this problem?

[Ducklett]

35 YEARS OF BASKETBALL IN ORLANDO
And Penny Hardaway has been our best PG
Nick Anderson has been our best SG
Why????? Why don’t we value the guard position? Why can’t we/shouldn’t we for once fix this problem?

Mad disrespect towards Vince, Tracy, and JJ.