Kofi Inkoom
In a previous update, we mentioned Anfernee Simons being ”questionable” for the Blazers’ home opener against the Orlando Magic. However, recent information from the Blazers’ camp brings a different story.
The Portland Trail Blazers have officially announced, through a press release, that Anfernee Simons underwent an MRI which unveiled a ligament tear in his right thumb.
The team has confirmed that he will undergo surgery and anticipates his absence for a period of 4 to 6 weeks.
Simons had to leave the Blazers’ first game of the season against the Los Angeles Clippers prematurely due to a thumb injury. However, the severity of the injury was only fully revealed after an MRI.
This presents a significant challenge for Simons, who, in the second year of his four-year, $100 million contract signed back in 2022, has been plagued by injuries during the last two seasons, causing him to miss a substantial portion of games.
Out of a potential 164 games, he managed to participate in 119. When he’s in good health, Simons has evolved into a dynamic scorer, recording a personal best of 21.1 points per game in the 2022/23 season. Additionally, he achieved a career-high of 4.1 assists in the prior season.
In Portland’s season opener defeat against the Clippers, Simons notched 18 points, dished out four assists, and swiped two steals within a 27-minute span.
His aspiration in the ’23/24 season is to clinch his inaugural All-Star selection and elevate his defensive prowess consistently.
However, his chances of earning an All-Star spot currently appear slim due to his injury. If he manages to make a return in four weeks, which is the optimistic scenario, he would be absent for 14 games. In the less favorable six-week return scenario, he would be sidelined for 18 games.
In Simons’ absence, players such as Malcolm Brogdon and Shaedon Sharpe are poised to experience an increase in their playing time in the Blazers’ backcourt.
The Trail Blazers are scheduled to go head-to-head with the Orlando Magic in the upcoming hour.