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As we get closer to the Feb. 6 trade deadline in the NBA, the Portland Trail Blazers are expected to be major players. While this season hasn't gone the way that Portland would have hoped, they do have a few players who have drawn trade interest around the league.
One of which is guard Anfernee Simons, who has seen his name in trade talks since the summer. In this new trade scenario, the Trail Blazers would send Simons over to the Detroit Pistons as they look to build upon their successful year so far.
Nathaniel Holloway of The Sporting News put together a trade proposal that had Detroit landing Simons for a haul. Here is what the deal could look like:
Pistons receive: Anfernee Simons
Trail Blazers receive: Tim Hardaway Jr., Wendell More Jr., 2026 first-round pick
Detroit has made major waves this season and they find themselves directly in the hunt for the postseason in the Eastern Conference. Currently, the Pistons hold a record of 21-20 and sit in ninth place within the East standings.
Adding a talent like Simons could help put this team over the top to compete in the conference. While the Pistons likely won't be a true title contender this season, Simons could make them much more formidable heading down the stretch of the season and into the playoffs.
The Pistons have been one of the worst teams in the NBA over the past few years, so them being in this spot has been impressive to see. Detroit has earned the reputation of a gritty team who won't back down from anyone no matter the odds against them.
For the year, Simons has averaged 18.2 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 5.0 assists per game.
For the Trail Blazers, losing Simons could be tough as he has become a fan favorite over the past few years. However, he seems to be the odd man out in the rotation of young players that Portland plans to build around.
Portland seems to favor guards Shaedon Sharpe and Scoot Henderson over Simons in terms of its long-term planning. This leaves a trade of Simons as a possibility for the Trail Blazers.
Landing Hardaway Jr. on an expiring deal could be good for this Trail Blazers team as it would give them some extra financial flexibility. Additionally, they would get an additional first-round draft pick to work with down the line.
Simons seems to be heading out of Portland either before the trade deadline or over the offseason. Detroit would be a great landing spot for the young scoring guard if the Trail Blazers decide to move on from him.
More NBA news:
Knicks Predicted to Part Ways With $60M Star Ahead of Trade Deadline
About the writer
Matt Levine works as a contributing writer for Newsweek based in California. His expertise is in covering the NBA but ... Read more