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The Boston Celtics’ offseason overhaul shows no signs of slowing, and the future of guard Anfernee Simons remains a central talking point.
“The expectation persists, furthermore, that Boston will continue to invite trade discussion involving Anfernee Simons from now through next season's trade deadline on Feb. 5 at 3 p.m. ET,” NBA reporter Jake Fischer of The Stein Line noted.
Although no deal is imminent, league expectations indicate that Simons could be moved before his contract expires next summer.
Simons arrived in Boston last month from Portland in the Jrue Holiday trade, part of a broader effort by the president of basketball operations, Brad Stevens, to slash payroll under new ownership.
The former 24th overall pick in 2018 spent seven seasons with the Trail Blazers, averaging 15.0 points on 43.1% shooting, including 38.1% from three. Over the past three seasons, he posted 20.7 points per game and made 583 three-pointers. Last season, he averaged 19.3 points and 4.8 assists while shooting 42.6% from the field and 36.3% from deep.
Simons will play 2025-26 on a $27.6 million expiring deal, making him a potential one-year rental wherever he lands. With Jayson Tatum sidelined for the entire season due to a torn Achilles, Boston has shifted toward a bridge year approach, leaning on Jaylen Brown and Derrick White to keep them competitive but not expecting a championship run.
Given Tatum, Brown, and White’s combined $145.7 million cap hit next season, re-signing Simons at a projected $20–25 million annually is unlikely.
Boston’s cap maneuvering has been aggressive. Earlier this offseason, they traded Kristaps Porzingis to Atlanta and Holiday to Portland, saving over $250 million in salary and luxury tax payments.
Most recently, the Celtics dealt Georges Niang and two second-round picks to the Utah Jazz for rookie RJ Luis Jr. on a two-way contract. The Niang move alone cut nearly $43 million from the tax bill, reducing it from $540 million on June 15 to $239 million as of August 5. The Celtics can drop below the tax line entirely by shedding another $12 million in salary.
While the Niang trade was purely financial, it also showed Boston’s willingness to adjust its roster throughout the season. The team could retain Simons for the season to evaluate playoff prospects before deciding on a trade. Even if he finishes the year in Boston, a sign-and-trade could prevent the team from losing him for nothing in free agency.
