"Playing Reggie Miller is like chicken-fighting with a woman" - Michael "lovable" Jordan (Don't ask me what "chicken fighting" is - I didn't say it)
As a newer blazers fan ima bit disappointed to see a thread like this... cuz far as im concerned --- Simons never even shoulda fell to the Blazers! He was a gift! Shoulda went much closer to the lottery (and Mitchell Robinson too) Simons is a really important peice to this team far as I can tell because he's really the one with the deadliest step-back J - the most important move on the perimeter in the NBA, and right now the offense gets downhill in a hurry and we're built to do work on the offensive boards with Ayton/Williams but Simons is really that guy who can give you the 1 dribble pull-up move, or the step-back.. so even if you wanted to replace him like OP was calling for --- you'd need to get another 6th man type who can really shoot it off the dribble reliably on high volume.. (unless other youngins on the blazers step up n can collectively fill that void which is highly unlikely tbh) I sure would rather have Simons over lets say, Buddy Hield.. idk lets see what happens.. I'm a bit biased towards giving Simons the benefit of the doubt though, followed his story for a while..
Even with horrible defense Simons has a lot of value as part of an 8 man rotation to just about every NBA team out there. If he can improve to become an average defender or better then we're talking about him as an All-NBA max level star. Shameful so many Blazer "fans" are trying to run him out of town at 23 years old.
Very Shameful, but honestly, you get lots of that from mostly this forum and the selected few. If you look on other social media outlets, their opinions are a lot more enjoyable, and refreshing.
If he can turn himself into an average defender I've got no problems with him at all. That would be awesome.
I must be one of those "Shameful" fans. I recognize Ant has some impressive scoring skills, albeit, sometimes a bit streaky. However, that is the only real skill I have seen. His passing/court vision (when he was playing PG) are not very good. His defense has been abysmal. I prefer players who have more than one-dimension in their arsenal. If Ant can add defense, I am much happier with him sticking around. I was afraid of him being our PG. I'm ok, to a degree with him being SG but would be most happy if he were, as others have suggested, the 6th man. I think he would excel there. However, I don't think the team is ready for him to step back yet. He is more seasoned and mature than many on the team and so I'd say he needs to start, at least at the beginning of the season, maybe things change later or next year, but I like his recognition that he needs to improve on the defensive side. I hope he does. Sincerely, A Shameful Blazer "fan"
All ant needs to do is defend like gary payton and continue what he does on the offensive end and i will cancel my petition to trade him
Simons is our best player right now, for better or worse. I've never seen him look as crappy as Scoot and Shaedon have this year. The Blazers are banking all their hope in those two and we don't know if they'll amount to jack squat.
as a rookie he didn't. But he more than sniffed in his 2nd season. He averaged 21 minutes over 70 games; and, IIRC, he had a rather consistent spot in the rotation. He didn't shoot well though
