Anfernee Simons has roamed the Moda Center hundreds of times over the last eight years, seemingly stepping foot into every nook and cranny the 30-year-old building has to offer.
But the former Portland Trail Blazers guard stumbled into a new and unfamiliar spot Sunday night.
The visiting locker room.
Simons made his first stop in Portland since the team traded him to the Boston Celtics last offseason, playing 19 minutes off the bench in the Blazers’ 114-108 win.
“It kind of felt a little weird,” Simons said. “Being a visitor and going to the opposing locker room, coming out of the other tunnel. But it was fun to see everybody that you built strong relationships with in the organization. It was fun embracing the moment and embracing the love … knowing that you made some type of impact here.”
It’s been five months since the Blazers shipped Simons to Boston in the trade that brought veteran point guard Jrue Holiday to Portland. Simons has said in past interviews that he was “hurt” by the deal and he admitted Sunday that it caught him off guard.
After all, he practically grew up in the Blazers organization. The team drafted him when he was a teenager, groomed him from an end-of-the-bench backup into a featured player, and signed him to a $100 million contract extension just three years ago. When Simons was a rookie, All-Star Damian Lillard used to say that reporters would want to talk to Simons long after Lillard was gone.
There was a part of Simons that figured he’d play his entire career in Portland.
“But, obviously, it’s a business at the end of the day,” Simons said. “And at any point you can be here and then somewhere else. So you just have to enjoy each and every moment that you spend. And I think I did that last year. I enjoyed all the moments I had with our whole team, organization, and I won’t regret anything for sure.”
Apart from the final score, Simons clearly enjoyed himself Sunday.
Before going through his pregame workout, he strolled over toward the Blazers bench — his old bench — and greeted former teammates and friends with a smile, exchanging hugs and handshakes with Donovan Clingan and Lillard, assistant general manager Mike Schmitz and equipment manager Eric Hallman. When Simons finished his pregame workout, he chatted with a former Blazers front office executive and shoe company representative, then signed a sea of black Blazers jerseys for a family of kids, scribbling his name on his old No. 1.
Less than two minutes into the game, the Blazers celebrated Simons’ seven seasons in Portland with a video tribute on the jumbotron during a timeout. They touted his work in the community, his win in the 2021 NBA Slam Dunk Contest, his memorable game-winning shots and the moment he passed Wesley Matthews for third place on the franchise’s all-time three-pointers made list.
Afterward, the crowd of 17,949 recognized Simons with an ovation. He beamed, waved thanks, then tapped his heart in appreciation.
“The reaction was about as good as I thought it was going to get,” Simons said, smiling, afterward. “It was cool. I tried to take in the moment the best way I can.”
Simons checked into the game for the first time with 6:51 left in the first quarter, sporting a black Boston No. 4 uniform. Seventeen seconds later, he curled around a screen at the top of the key and swished a three-pointer. It was an up-and-down performance after that.
Simons made just one of his next five shots, missing three threes, but responded by scoring eight consecutive Boston points in the third quarter, swishing a three, nailing three free throws and completing a fast break reverse layup. Then he played less than three minutes in a nip-and-tuck fourth quarter, when the Blazers’ defense held Boston in check to earn a win.
Simons finished with 13 points, three rebounds, two steals and one assist, making 4 of 11 shots, including 1 of 5 threes. But it came in a rare loss for the Celtics (19-12), who sit in third place in the Eastern Conference standings and had won nine of their previous 11 games.
Simons has been an integral part of the success, averaging 12.8 points, 2.3 assists and 2.1 rebounds in a new role as the Celtics’ Sixth Man.
“I think he’s had a great attitude and approach to the process of winning and what we need from him on a nightly basis,” Boston coach Joe Mazzulla said. “Obviously transitioning to a different role can be tough, but his buy-in to the defensive end has been great. And then, obviously, his scoring has been good for us. So we’re happy to have him.”
Likewise, Simons said he’s happy to be part of an “historic franchise” and “winning organization.” But it was clear that a part of him still misses his first NBA home. Simons said he keeps tabs on the Blazers via NBA League Pass, settling down in his Boston home after Celtics games to watch his old teammates.
“As soon as our game is over with, their game is just starting,” he said, noting one of his favorite things about living on the East Coast.
Simons touted the growth of the young Blazers, praising Deni Avdija, Toumani Camara, Sidy Cissoko and Clingan. And he couldn’t help but admire the grit his old team has shown under acting coach Tiago Splitter.
“I think they play hard each and every night,” he said. “Obviously we didn’t make the playoffs last year, but I thought, for the most part, we were taking steps. I think we ended the year pretty well. And that’s all I wanted, just to take those steps. I’m just proud of the steps that we (took) and you see this year, they have continued. … I think they’ve got the right people over there — Jrue and Dame — to help them continue to grow.”