Simons is not worth more to the Blazers than Hart. I would not offer more. With his sample performance in 25 games and showing that he will probably be a liability on defense, I think that giving him a $5M raise over his present $4M/yr salary is the target, i.e., $9M/yr next year with additional incentive bonuses if he meets certain targets. His player development incentives are the continued mentoring by Dame, Hart, and Grant, coaching by Chauncey, and the likelihood of playing in 3-4 rounds of playoffs. He might be paid more elsewhere, but choose the Blazers for development and opportunities. With Sharpe on the team and other competition for guard minutes, Simons has a lot of motivation and incentive to remain a Blazer.
