Anfernee Simons should be focus of Trail Blazers rebuild

The Portland Trail Blazers surprised a lot of people at the trade deadline with the moves they made. They shipped out CJ McCollum, Norman Powell, and other rotational pieces.

While the pieces they sent out weren’t surprising, as there were rumors of a shake-up leading up to the deadline, the return they got back was definitely a bit shocking.

A lot of people criticized the Blazers for not getting enough talent back in return. However, while they may not have gotten an All-Star-caliber player back, they might have had one on the team all along.

Anfernee Simons should be focus of Trail Blazers rebuild

This season has been an ugly one in Portland. Damian Lillard is hurt, McCollum is gone, and the team isn’t very good. But there is one bright spot, and his name is Anfernee Simons.

Ever since the Blazers made their deadline deals (as well as in games where both Lillard and McCollum have been out), Simons has been nothing short of phenomenal.

Since the February 10 trade deadline, Simons is averaging 25.9 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 5.1 assists while shooting 46.2 percent from the field and 46.7 percent from behind the three-point line.

Simons has been a revelation for Portland this year, and during a season where nothing else seems to be going right, he’s been a light at the end of the tunnel.

The only problem is, Simons is in the last year of his contract. If the Blazers want to keep him around, they’re going to have to pay a hefty price this summer.

Other young teams around the league will undoubtedly be throwing big-time bags at Simons in free agency, so it will be up to Portland to match those deals. With teams like the Detroit Pistons and Oklahoma City Thunder looming, that could be a huge price tag.

But with the direction Portland is trending in, a rebuild has to be on the horizon. And if they are going to hit the reset button soon, there’s no better player to center it around than Simons.