Portland Trail Blazers: Complete 2018 offseason grades

Drafting Anfernee Simons

The Trail Blazers entered the 2018 NBA Draft with only one pick to their name. That pick at No. 24 ended up becoming combo guard Anfernee Simons from IMG Academy in Florida. Simons is a young, wiry player with impressive athleticism and decent shooting touch. With the right development, he has the ability to become a very good player in the NBA.

However, despite his potential, it felt odd for Portland to select him. The team is in need of more perimeter shooting and depth at the forward positions, and there were several others prospects that conceivably filled that void. With Blazer fans still reeling from the playoff loss, they wanted a safer pick that could contribute immediately and help the team bounce back in this year’s postseason.

Simons received his first professional experience at the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, where the Blazers were able to secure the championship. He averaged 11.0 points and 3.2 rebounds per game while shooting 43.4 percent from the field, 34.6 from 3-point range and 91.7 percent from the free throw line. The general consensus is that he played like he belonged in the league, but still has plenty of development ahead of him.

Anfernee Simons is a pick for the long run, and he could truly develop into a great player. However, it’s hard to expect much of him in his first season because he is such a raw, mostly unknown commodity. That reality is what is bothering a fanbase that wanted a prospect that could help right away, and Simons likely won’t be that.

Grade: B-