NBA Free-Agency 2022: Anfernee Simons signs 4-year-USD 100 million contract with Portland Trail Blazers

NBA's Portland Trail Blazers gave guard Anfernee Simons a four-year-$100 million contract as they look to build around the backcourt of Simons and Damian Lillard.

Breakout star Anfernee Simons was rewarded for his play last season with a four-year-$100 million contract. With Damian Lillard out for most of the season and long-time starting shooting-guard CJ Mccollum traded, Simons enjoyed a career year in the NBA 2021-22 season. The 23-year-old averaged a career-high 17.3 points for the 2021-22 season. In 2022, Simons averaged 23 points per game in 27 games. Simons was a shining light in an otherwise disappointing season for the Blazers. Portland won just 27 games last season and owned the sixth-worst record in the league during a year in which their general manager was fired, CJ McCollum was traded and superstar Damian Lillard played just 29 games due to abdominal surgery.

The Trail Blazers are now attempting to rebuild around Lillard rather than start from scratch and recently took a gamble on Shaedon Sharpe at No. 7 in the 2022 NBA Draft. Before the Simons news, the Blazers had a solid core of Lillard, Grant, Hart, rookie Shaedon Sharpe, Justice Winslow and Nassir Little, among others.

But a considerable part of the retooling plan was re-signing Simons. The Blazers will be expecting another step forward in the 2022-23 campaign and beyond from Simons, considering the contract they just gave him. If he continues to grow, they will be a real threat to return to the post-season.