Trade Proposal Sends Blazers Guard Anfernee Simons To Magic

One NBA analyst proposed that the Orlando Magic acquire Anfernee Simons from the Portland Trail Blazers in a blockbuster trade. 

Grant Hughes of Bleacher Report proposed the following mock trade idea between the Magic and Blazers:

The Trade: The Orlando Magic acquire Anfernee Simons from the Portland Trail Blazers for Anthony Black, Cole Anthony, 2025 first-round pick (via DEN; top-5-protected through 2027)

The Blazers missed the playoffs in 2024, while the Magic lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round in seven games. 

Simons appeared in 46 games for the Blazers this past season. He averaged 22.6 points, 3.6 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 0.5 steals and 0.1 blocks while shooting 43.0% from the field, 38.5% from beyond the arc and 91.6% from the free-throw line. 

The 25-year-old Simons will make $25.9 million next season. He holds career averages of 14.1 points, 2.5 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 0.4 steals and 0.1 blocks. 

“In addition to scoring in bunches and canning 38.6 percent of his career three-point attempts, Simons is also a solid secondary facilitator,” Hughes wrote in his NBA trade proposal. “The guy he’d replace in Orlando’s rotation, Cole Anthony, has seen his assist rate trend down for three straight years, bottoming out at 19.8 percent last year. Simons beat that handily with a career-high 27.6 percent clip in 2023-24.

“This should be a no-brainer for the rebuilding Blazers, who, in addition to Anthony, get a future first and a recent lottery pick in Anthony Black. Orlando would surely think hard about moving the 2023 No. 6 pick after just one season, but very little about Black’s debut suggested he had the offensive makeup to give the Magic what they need on that end. He posted a nearly invisible 12.1 percent usage rate and ranked in the 8th percentile at his position in assist rate as a rookie, all while turning the ball over a ton.

“Defensive upside is easier to see in the 6’7” Black, and the Blazers need that to help out Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe. Orlando owns all of its own future picks, so surrendering the one it has incoming from Denver shouldn’t be an issue. As long as the Magic recognize the scoring boost Simons can provide, they’ll find giving up on Black an acceptable concession.”