The Portland Trail Blazers has been one of the franchises that has long been rumored to be doing a major roster overhaul, and shooting guard Anfernee Simons is one of the potential trades that the Blazers may be willing to let go, and sportsbooks already have an idea of where he might land next.
In a new list of betting odds released by bookmaker and betting platform Bovada, the Orlando Magic stands as the top favorite team “to land Anfernee Simons in a potential trade,” with odds of +400. Next would be the Miami Heat, with odds of +500.
The Orlando Magic are the favorites to land Anfernee Simons in a potential trade, per @BovadaOfficial
Orlando Magic +400
Miami Heat +500
San Antonio Spurs +600
Denver Nuggets +900
Golden State Warriors +1200
Sacramento Kings +1600 pic.twitter.com/nyhoyPcM47— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) December 15, 2024
Following on the list, in order, were the San Antonio Spurs at +600, the Denver Nuggets at +900, the Golden State Warriors at +1200, and the Sacramento Kings at +1600.
While these numbers and the list itself are interesting, do note, however, that these are only betting odds and do not reflect any real probability, rumors, or speculations connecting to the nearing trade deadline.
Why Would Portland Trail Blazers Trade Anfernee Simons?
The Trail Blazers may want to trade Anfernee Simons for several potential reasons. For one, the team is undergoing a rebuilding phase, as they focus more on building up younger talents over retaining veterans. Trading Simons may give the team more wiggle room to spend on more future assets, including future draft picks, to build on their future-centric strategy.
Secondly, while in on way a terrible performer, the chemistry between Simons and other Blazers, such as Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe, has been awkward, to say the least. Their mismatch in style and approach often led to poor playmaking overall and thus also affected overall team performance.
If the Blazers could find a good deal for Simons, they may find themselves getting younger players and multiple draft picks to land more young talent. This still falls in line with their future-focused rebuilding strategy.
Simons’ contract status may also play a role in Simons being a potential tradeable asset for Portland. With his four-year, $100 million contract now in its third year, trading him might prove to be a sound financial decision for the Blazers.
On the other hand, Simons could prove to be a good addition to the suggested teams, Magic and Heat, as he may prove to be a better fit with their young core teams compared to his chemistry with the Portland roster.
So far this season Anfernee Simons averages 17.1 points per game, 2.6 rebounds, and 4.5 assists.
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