Portland Trail Blazers guard Anfernee Simons (illness) is available ahead of Wednesday's game against the Brooklyn Nets. This is good news after Simons was a late addition to the injury report due to an illness. Luckily, it was a minor issue and Simons should resume his normal role in the rotation. Simons has played a big part of this team lately and is likely to continue being the primary scoring option. That being said, fantasy managers should make sure to get Simons in their lineups for Wednesday's game.

Portland Trail Blazers guard Anfernee Simons won't face a minutes cap in Sunday's meeting with the Brooklyn Nets. The 24-year-old missed three games because of an illness but returned for the January 3 matchup with the Dallas Mavericks, the first of consecutive games between the teams. However, he was limited to 27 minutes or fewer in each contest. With Damian Lillard now a Milwaukee Buck, Simons has had a career year, averaging 24.5 points, 5.0 assists, and 3.4 rebounds. He's always a must-start fantasy option, although managers will undoubtedly appreciate the latest report. Of course, with Simons no longer restricted, Scoot Henderson should see fewer minutes, lowering his fantasy ceiling.

Portland Trail Blazers guard Anfernee Simons (illness) will return to the starting five ahead of Wednesday's game against the Dallas Mavericks. Simons will make his return to the court after a three-game absence due to a lingering illness. His return will shift veteran guard Malcolm Brogdon back to the bench. Although, Brogdon could still have some streaming value on Wednesday due to the fact Simons will be on a minutes limit. Fantasy managers in season-long formats can get Simons back in their lineups. However, he won't be a great DFS option on a busy slate with a minutes limit.

Portland Trail Blazers guard Anfernee Simons (illness) is questionable ahead of Wednesday's matchup against the Dallas Mavericks. The 24-year-old has been under the weather. However, the questionable designation is at least a step in the right direction. At any rate, if Simons misses his fourth consecutive game on Wednesday night, Scoot Henderson or Malcolm Brogdon could remain in the starting lineup, although one of them will head back to the bench if Shaedon Sharpe is off a minutes restriction.

Portland Trail Blazers guard Anfernee Simons (illness) won't be available for his third straight game during Monday's meeting with the Phoenix Suns due to an illness. In his first season without sharing the backcourt alongside superstar Damian Lillard, Simons has been sensational when healthy for 11 games this year. The 24-year-old sharpshooting combo guard is dispensing third-round fantasy value in nine-category leagues with averages of 27.1 points, 5.3 assists, 3.8 threes, and 92.3% free-throw shooting on 4.7 attempts. Simons hopes to overcome whatever is ailing him by Wednesday for a date with the Dallas Mavericks, when the Blazers play the second game of what figures to be a taxing seven-game road trip. Portland's offense will run through Jerami Grant, Malcolm Brogdon, and Scoot Henderson on Monday.

Portland Trail Blazers guard Anfernee Simons (illness) won't play in Friday's rematch with the Spurs. He'll now be sidelined for a second-straight game because of a non-COVID-related illness, so his next chance to return will be on Monday versus the Phoenix Suns. With Shaedon Sharpe (adductor) also out, Scoot Henderson and Malcolm Brogdon should handle most of the work in the backcourt. Both men have played well of late and should be starting in all fantasy lineups.

Portland Trail Blazers guard Anfernee Simons (illness) has been ruled out ahead of Thursday's game against the San Antonio Spurs. The young guard was a late addition to the injury report due to an illness. In his absence, Scoot Henderson will move into the starting five for Thursday's game. He has been coming off the bench lately, but will start in this game. Henderson recorded a double-double in his last game, so he's worth a look as a streaming option for Thursday's slate.

Portland Trail Blazers guard Anfernee Simons put up a season-high and came four points shy of his career-high in a one-point loss to the Washington Wizards on Thursday. The 24-year-old registered 41 points on 15-for-28 shooting from the floor and 7-for-14 from beyond the arc. He also chipped in seven assists, four rebounds, and turned the ball over just three times. In terms of mainstays on this team, Simons is the veteran and was given control of the backcourt despite Scoot Henderson and Malcolm Brogdon joining. He's been on a tear since returning from injury, his averages have been good enough to boost him into the top 40 of nine-category leagues.

Portland Trail Blazers guard Anfernee Simons (thumb) will return to the starting five for the first time since Opening Night. The young guard suffered a torn UCL in his thumb and has been out ever since. He has been making good progress and will return to the starting unit for Wednesday's game against the Golden State Warriors. The expectation is that Simons is going to be limited during his first game back. Fantasy managers in season-long formats can get him back in their lineups. However, Simons won't be an ideal option in DFS contests for Wednesday's 11-game slate.

Portland Trail Blazers guard Anfernee Simons (thumb) is currently listed as questionable for Wednesday's game against the Golden State Warriors. Simons has been sidelined since Opening Night, but there's a chance he returns on Wednesday. Simons is working his way back from a torn UCL in his thumb, so the Blazers are expected to be cautious with him. The expectation is that Simons would be under a minutes limit for the first few games back. His return would likely mean decreased value for Shaedon Sharpe and Toumani Camara. Although, both should still have decent value with Jerami Grant (concussion) still sidelined. Fantasy managers will have to check back on Wednesday for another update.

Portland Trail Blazers guard Anfernee Simons (thumb) hasn't played since the team's first game of the season on October 25. After undergoing thumb surgery, he was expected to miss six weeks which would mark this Wednesday as a potential return. Malcolm Brogdon was the one to talk about Simons back at practice and possibly getting him back on the court for a game within the next few contests. Simons is now considered day-to-day and when he does get back on the court, that will mean fewer minutes for Matisse Thybulle and some of the others in the backcourt. The team may take a slower approach with his minutes, so fantasy managers will want to stay tuned for more updates.

Portland Trail Blazers guard Anfernee Simons (thumb) will miss 4-to-6 weeks after an MRI revealed a ligament tear in his right thumb. Simons was listed as probable for Friday's meeting with Orlando. However, he was downgraded to questionable later in the day, so fantasy managers had a feeling something wasn't right. It's an unfortunate development for the 24-year-old, considering he was predicted to take over as the top offensive option in Portland after Damian Lillard was dealt to the Bucks. But now that Simons is out of the picture, Shaedon Sharpe and Malcolm Brogdon could see more minutes than usual, although the former is the favorite to enter the starting lineup. Either way, both men should be on fantasy rosters in all formats.

Portland Trail Blazers guard Anfernee Simons (thumb) was originally listed as probable for the team's game against the Orlando Magic on Friday night. Since then, he's been downgraded to questionable as he continues to deal with the thumb issue. This trend in the wrong direction is a bit alarming for his status when tipoff comes around. If he keeps trending this way and can't suit up, either Shaedon Sharpe or Malcolm Brogdon would seemingly take over the starting spot. Either way, both of them would see more minutes and opportunities.

Portland Trail Blazers guard Anfernee Simons (thumb) is listed as probable for Friday's game against the Orlando Magic. It appears Simons suffered a right thumb sprain during the season opener. Despite that, it doesn't sound like this issue is going to force him to miss time. If he sits out, Malcolm Brogdon and Shaedon Sharpe would see additional playing time and be more appealing streaming options.

Portland Trail Blazers guard Anfernee Simons wants to become an All-Star in 2024 and is eager to improve his game defensively. "All-Star was my goal last year and is again this year," Simons said. "Also, putting the 'bad defender' [label] out of my name. That would be fun." Simons gave his stock a big boost last season, but 19 guards in the Western Conference received more All-Star votes from fans, and he was only tied for 11th in the player voting. The 24-year-old finished the campaign averaging 21.1 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 4.1 assists. He appears highly motivated to improve on these numbers in 2023-24, and it looks like Simons is also ready to start adding some defensive stats as a bonus for fantasy managers.

Well, it finally happened. For the first time in 11 years, Damian Lillard is no longer a Trailblazer.On Wednesday, the nearly three-month saga that held NBA news hostage all summer came to an abrupt halt after Lillard was astonishingly acquired by the Milwaukee Bucks. It was a blockbuster three-team deal that included the Phoenix Suns, nine total players, one first-round pick, and one pick swap.Here is the full breakdown of the trade and my analysis of how it will affect the NBA in 2023-2024 and fantasy basketball. 

The Trade

The Bucks receive - Damian LillardThe Blazers receive - Jrue Holiday, Deandre Ayton, Toumani Camara, Bucks' 2029 first-round pick, Bucks' pick swapThe Suns receive - Jusuf Nurkic, Nassir Little, Keon Johnson, ... [More]

Portland Trail Blazers guard Scott Henderson has left a great first impression on teammate Anfernee Simons. "He's as good as advertised," Simons said. "Understands the game at a high level, especially at his age. I'm pretty excited to play with him." Henderson also appears to be extremely confident in his ability after recently promising to win the Rookie of the Year award in 2023-24. It remains to be seen how his presence affects Simons' play. He was the team's second-best scorer behind Damian Lillard last season with 21.1 points, but there's only one ball to go around.

Portland Trail Blazers guard Anfernee Simons is now reported to potentially be a part of a trade package that includes the third overall pick in the upcoming NBA Draft. As reported by John Hollinger of The Athletic, there is "widespread " speculation that the Blazers would include Simons with their third pick to acquire an elite small forward. One of the rumored names has seemed to be Paul George, but there hasn't been any direct connection just yet. Simons still has a ways to go to be considered a co-star that would help Damian Lillard reach the Finals.

Portland Trail Blazers guard Anfernee Simons needed no time at all to shake off any rust from an injury layoff, putting up a team-high 34 points with 8-for-12 three-point shooting Friday against Philadelphia. Led by Simons, the Blazers were able to build up a big lead, but things fell apart in the final quarter and Simons couldn't celebrate his return with a victory. He had missed seven of the last eight games with an ankle sprain. Simons finished 13-for-22 overall from the field and collected one rebound and two assists in 29 minutes. He was on a minutes limit, so this could've easily been an even bigger night for the 23-year-old.

Portland Trail Blazers guard Anfernee Simons (ankle) is questionable ahead of Friday's meeting with the Philadelphia 76ers. The 23-year-old has dealt with a sprained right ankle for a few weeks now and has only played 20 minutes since the All-Star break. As a result, Matisse Thybulle has gotten some starts. However, Thybulle isn't a consistent scorer, although category managers can benefit from his abilities on the defensive end, even if Simons is cleared to suit up.