Years of losing seem to be taking their toll on Trail Blazers shooting guard Anfernee Simons, who tells Jason Quick of The Athletic that he’s going through “the hardest mental battle I’ve had in my career.”
Quick notes that the 11-22 Blazers are in the midst of their fourth straight season where they’re placing more emphasis on maximizing their lottery odds than trying to compete. This is Simons’ seventh year in the NBA, so unlike most of Portland’s roster he remembers when making the playoffs was taken for granted.
“It’s been hard as hell,’’ he said. “I be having my bad days. I’m like anybody else. I call them my ‘human days,’ when I let things get to me a little bit. Obviously, it has had an effect on my game. That’s what I’m trying to get out of.’’
The grind of being overmatched most nights appears to be catching up with Simons, who’s suffering through his worst season since he became a starter four years ago. He’s shooting 41.5% from the field and 33.5% from three-point range — down significantly from last year and the second-worst percentages of his career in both categories.
Quick notes that Simons has often seemed to be “distracted and disconnected” on the court as though he has become numb to the constant losing. Coach Chauncey Billups stated that he began noticing the change last season.
“We’ve talked about it, and my talks with Ant will be with Ant, but yes, I see it,’’ Billups said. “It was last year, too. We had some good, long talks over the summer, things that were bothering him, and things I could help him with. So, it hasn’t been a just-now thing. It’s been over time.’’
Simons added that despite any frustrations he has with the organization, he doesn’t plan to ask for a trade. He mentioned two “very light” conversations with general manager Joe Cronin this season in which Cronin sought his input about the team’s progress. Despite his longevity in Portland and his potential trade value, Simons doesn’t believe he’s earned the right to ask for a deal.
“I can say how I feel, but I don’t think I’m in that position,’’ he said. “There’s only a few players who can go in there and make (demands). I don’t think that’s my job. My job is to go out and play. If it’s something that serious, I would let my agent take care of it. But you think about what you want out of your career, and stuff like that, and I figure it’s going to happen when it’s supposed to. I’m not going to make any irrational decisions on stuff like that.’’
Quick points out that Simons’ situation is one of the negative side effects of repeatedly trying to rebuild through the draft. The team has a .316 winning percentage since Cronin took over as GM, and it doesn’t appear to be heading in a positive direction despite adding Shaedon Sharpe, Scoot Henderson and Donovan Clingan with top-seven picks over the last three years.
Quick adds that the Blazers have already lost 10 times this season by 20 or more points, including embarrassing home defeats by 45 points against Memphis and 42 points against Utah.
Simons is under contract for one more season at $27.7MM and will become a free agent in the summer of 2026 if he and the team don’t work out an extension. He would have plenty of leverage if he decides to force his way out of Portland, but his preference is to remain with the team and build it into a winner again.
“It’s hard to explain it; some things just don’t feel right,’’ Simons said. “It could be a bit of everything. I’m not going to point out one thing. Ultimately, I gotta do what I gotta do, and get out of my funk and figure out ways to overcome it. Ultimately, this is a test of faith, and a test of mental toughness and what I’m going to do to get myself out of this feeling.’’
One of those players that is good but not a all star. portland can offer him around but is the team picking him up will offer good young players and draft picks for him? Would need to be a team that is in need of a PG and has young players and draft picks to offer.
I feel like Magic and Blazers line up nicely here
Magic get Simmons to help out while Banchero and Wagner are out.
Blazers get Howard Black and Harris
Definitely think Black and Howard can do more with more playing time which they could get inPOR
POR should be in fire sale mode dealing Grant dealing Simmons
Role with a line up of
Scoot at PG
Sharpe at SG
Black at SF
Howard at PF
Ayton at C
Grant should bring back some picks.
Nothing wrong with building through the draft provided you draft well. Haven’t seen evidence of that in Portland. Some numbers will be posted because someone has to heave the ball at the net, but it doesn’t always translate into wins. Not sure Billips is the right coach, either.
That Scoot pick is not looking too good these days
To think there were quite a few guys on this site saying he should have been picked before Wemby. It was laughable then and even more laughable now.
No one said that. Maybe someone said Scoot over Brandon Miller but no one said over Wembly.
They did say it at the beginning of the draft process
It doesn’t help that Billups is a bad head coach by all accounts and, frankly, the fact they’ve stuck with him so long while some of their key draft picks flounder is a testament to the mess that this organization is.
Not saying Scoot would be living up to expectations even with a good head coach, but it certainly cannot help.
Reminds me of when the KC Royals extended Whit Merrifield at age 30 and deemed him “untouchable” in trades…while they were rebuilding. Dude was pretty good and could have helped a contender, and many asked for him, but instead he was forced to play on horrible teams year in and out.
The problem with POR’s efforts to build through the draft is their emphasis is solely on the draft, not on doing any team building in conjunction with it. Stripping your roster of all the players that might cause you to win some games, drafting young guys that are not ready to succeed in the NBA, and then handing them minutes anyway only builds a losing machine. POR has been doing that well. But they’re not alone. In fact, they’re pursuing what is, these days, a very common FO strategy. Problem is that it can only really end well if the ping pong balls come out right.
The Blazers resigned Grant and Simons. They traded for a younger vets in Ayton and Williams. They also traded Brogdon, a first, two seconds and a swap for another young veteran in Deni Avdija. Those transactions aren’t those of a team building solely through the draft.
Of course, no team has only its own recent draftees on their roster, it’s about emphasis. None of the transactions you referenced constitute team building moves, vs filling out the roster. Plain and simple, this roster was put together to lose. Start with the fact that there isn’t an NBA caliber PG on the roster. Scoot isn’t that, at least yet, so they just play without one. Guarantees a high lottery pick, but not much else. Who cares if the product is unwatchable? That only means they won’t be on TV. They still get their share of the TV money.
You gotta love Simon’s attitude about the whole thing. Portland has the talent to grow into a winner but they are a couple years away (and a couple other factors too). Maybe they can unload Ayton for Butler for a quick boost… I guess we’ll see.
Watching this team lose on purpose is hard for the fans too! When you see a lineup that could win now and the coach purposely doesn’t put them together to tank? This coach has lost his player’s trust and his integrity (yeah Billups has never been known for honesty). The worst part is watching young players talent regress instead of grow. Players who should be playing 30+ a night from day one are “Sharpe, Scoot, Cling-Kong and Deni. Players who should be on the bench? Ayton, Simons, Grant! Instead Sharpe is out there delegated to a spot up corner three when his selfish teammates actually pass the ball. As a retired youth coach, I am confident I could get enough wins from this team to make the playoffs. Fact!!! My lineup; Sharpe and Scoot share PG, Cling-Kong’s defense and outlet passes to the guards and wings Camara and Deni. Starting Sharpe, Scoot, Deni, RW111, Clingan. Winners!!!
Dumpster fire franchise
To good to get first overall pick but no bad to make play in
They need a new GM new head coach and a bunch of trades
Grant, Rob Will and Murray for MPJ and Zeke
Ayton and Thybulle for Lonzo, Pat Will, Duarte and 2 seconds
Simons for THJ and a first
Scoot Sharpe MPJ Pat Will Clingam
Lonzo THJ Avidja Camara Reath
Firstly I don’t think Portland has anyone capable of being a top 10/15 kinda player but when they do get that guy they’ll obviously build around him.
For now I’d be looking to build a pace and space style offence and improve a lot more defensively as a team.
I’d stop trying to turn the season around and make the play in and instead try aim for a top 3 pick and work on how you want to play the game as a coach. I think of you could add either Flegg, Harper or Bailey then aim to build around them in which a pace and space offence would work well.
By going for THJ and Lonzo you’re creating salary cap space and adding picks. Steps for building for the future. By getting MPJ, Zeke and Pat Will you can say your adding long term overpaid contracts but in MPJ and Pat both guys on the court are good players and fit your system and you can afford them while having lots of guys on rookie contracts.
That’s how I’d go about rebuilding the Blazers but watch them sit back and do nothing