Anfernee Simons is among three Portland Trail Blazers players ruled out for the remainder of the season, while guard Josh Hart will be sidelined for another week, the team announced Monday.
Simons has missed the Blazers' last 11 games after an MRI revealed mild patellar tendinopathy in his left knee. Portland initially slated the fourth-year guard to be out for at least one-to-two weeks.
The 22-year-old had a breakout campaign in Damian Lillard's absence, averaging a career-high 17.3 points on 44.3% shooting, including a 40.5% clip from deep. Simons is a restricted free agent this summer.
Portland acquired Hart from the New Orleans Pelicans as part of the CJ McCollum multi-player deal. The Villanova product has missed the past four contests with the same injury as Simons.
Hart registered 19.9 points, 5.4 boards, 4.3 assists, and 1.2 steals per game in 13 appearances with the Blazers. He dropped a career-high 44 points against the Washington Wizards in early March.
Portland also shut down veterans Jusuf Nurkic and Eric Bledsoe for the rest of the campaign.
Nurkic hasn't played since Feb. 16 due to left foot plantar fasciitis. He was scheduled to miss four weeks of action at the time. The big man averaged 15 points, 11.1 boards, 2.8 assists, and 1.1 steals across 56 appearances this season. He's an unrestricted free agent this offseason.
Bledsoe didn't make a single appearance for Portland after being acquired from the Los Angeles Clippers. He recorded 9.9 points, 4.2 assists, and 1.3 steals per contest over 54 appearances in 2021-22. His salary is only partially guaranteed for next season.
The Blazers are four games back of the Los Angeles Lakers for the West's final play-in tournament spot.
