Under-the-radar trade targets for the Denver Nuggets
By Sean Carroll
Denver Nuggets under-the-radar trade candidates: Anfernee Simons
Anfernee Simons is having a career year for the Portland Trail Blazers and he’s making the most of his opportunity without Damian Lillard or C.J. McCollum. On the season, he’s averaging 13.3 points per game and shooting nearly 40 percent from behind the arc.
His recent run of hot shooting culminated in a 43-point outburst against the Atlanta Hawks, winning the game on a night where Trae Young had 50-plus points himself.
The scouting report on Simons has always been that he’s a score-first guard who might not be able to run his own offense but gives up way too many points on the other end with his lack of size and awareness. So far, it doesn’t appear as though he has progressed on the defensive end but if the offense is legitimate, he would be a huge help to any team in the league.
He might be a career backup guard and sixth man type but that player is valuable.
There are two issues for the Nuggets making a move for Simons. The first is that he’s having the stretch of his life, his price is as high as it has ever been so maybe it’s not a great time to buy.
The second issue is that he’s a restricted free agent this offseason, coming off his rookie deal. If this shooting keeps up and Simons plays this well all year, he’ll be wanting a commensurate contract in free agency and maybe Denver’s little cap space is worth being spent in other positions.
Maybe Simons isn’t a Nuggets trade candidate but if Lillard stays in Portland and the team wants to retool mid-season, look for Anfernee to be a key piece the new front office looks to move on from.