With the trade deadline fast approaching teams are going to have to move quickly if they are to make some vital additions to their teams before playoff time.
It looks likely that Jimmy Butler will find himself with a new playoff team following his latest suspension from the Miami Heat.
Bulls star Zach LaVine has also been strongly linked with a fresh destination come February 6th.
However, NBA legend Vince Carter has highlighted a potential under-the-radar star who could be a ‘great pickup.’
While the Portland Trail Blazers may be sitting with an 18-29 record in the Western Conference their recent form is pretty strong.
The Trail Blazers are 5-1 in their last six games and an impressive 125-112 win over the NBA Cup champions, the Milwaukee Bucks is a good sign of their progress.
25-year-old Anfernee Simons has certainly caught the eye with his recent performances and his 25 points against the Bucks have caused Vince Carter to highlight him to some of the NBA’s playoff teams.
Carter told NBA on TNT: “Anfernee Simons has just been playing great basketball. He can score at all levels and is playing with a lot of confidence.
“He’s going to be a guy who is going to be a great pickup for a playoff team if they need one. Anfornee Simons is going to be sought after.”
The Trail Blazers certainly have an exciting core of players but putting together any sort of playoff run has proved tricky for them.
They have failed to make the playoffs in any of the last three seasons and the consistent performer of Simons deserves to be able to show his ability in a stronger lineup.
While Scoot Henderson looks like an exciting prospect for the Trail Blazers they’re going to need much more than him to compete anytime soon.
It would make sense for a playoff side in need of a playmaker to come in for Simon given his consistent stats in a struggling side.
| Anfernee Simons | 2021-22 | 2022-23 | 2023-24 | 2024-25 |
| Points | 17.3 | 21.1 | 22.6 | 18.5 |
| Rebounds | 2.6 | 2.6 | 3.6 | 2.8 |
| Assists | 3.9 | 4.1 | 5.5 | 4.8 |
Teams such as the LA Lakers and Miami Heat could be interesting destinations for Simons, time will tell if a team takes a gamble on the star.
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