Anfernee Simons went on record as saying he wanted "the opportunity to win" heading into his seventh season with the Portland Trail Blazers. That never came to fruition, as Portland finished last season with a 36-46 record, falling short of the postseason for a fourth consecutive year. That was a promising improvement from the Blazers' 21-win season the year prior, but it still wasn't what Simons had in mind.
In January of the 2024-25 season, Simons told Jason Quick of The Athletic that he was going through "the hardest mental battle" he's had in his career, but still wouldn't request a trade.