Tough Break For Anfernee Simons & Trail Blazers

A brutal break for the young Portland Trail Blazers, as top scorer Anfernee Simons has suffered a torn ligament in his thumb and won't be back in the lineup for well over a month.

Trail Blazers say Anfernee Simons will undergo surgery for a UCL tear in right thumb and is expected to miss 4 to 6 weeks.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 27, 2023

The injury occurred in the Blazers' season opener Wednesday night, after he drained 18 points as the new leading man in Portland with Damian Lillard now in Milwaukee. Simons suffered a tear of the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) of the right thumb, which will require surgery. He's expected to miss 4-6 weeks.

Sports injury expert Jeff Stotts reports that projected timeline is on the light side of the usual time missed with this type of injury, though that might be a trend.

The average time lost for thumb UCL tears in the NBA is 53 days (~7.5 weeks) but there is reason for optimism for Portland fans. Understanding Anfernee Simons' Thumb Injury: https://t.co/ZeanThnIBM

— Jeff Stotts (@InStreetClothes) October 27, 2023

Stotts says that surgery to fix torn UCLs has improved in recent years and is likely a reason for quicker recovery timelines than in the past. 

Nevertheless, that will cut into the much-needed chemistry time for the exciting new Portland backcourt of the future, with rookie Scoot Henderson and Simons.

The 24-year-old, 6th-year guard averaged a career-high 21.1 points last season, along with 4.1 assists and 37.7% shooting from long range. He's entering the second year of a 4-year, $100M contract signed in July of 2022. 

 Photo: Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports