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The Boston Celtics have had a consistently busy offseason as they attempt to prepare for a Jayson Tatum-less season. Having hit the reset button, the Celtics have made multiple moves to shed salary and tuck themselves below the luxury tax threshold.
The most prominent among them have been the trades that sent Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday away, with the latter also resulting in the arrival of Anfernee Simons from the Portland Trail Blazers. Simons is owed around $27 million for the upcoming season, and the Celtics are still around $20 million over the luxury tax threshold, per Real GM.
Looking to shed further salary, the Celtics are understood to be actively trying to move Simons in another trade.
“I have talked to other teams who have said they are actively trying to trade Anfernee Simons. Whether they can or not is another [thing],” Brian Windhorst revealed on the Hoop Collective.
Boston Celtics on mission to shed salary
Simons joined the Celtics after averaging 19.3 points, 4.8 assists, and 2.7 rebounds per game while scoring at almost 50% from the field and a career-high 38.1% from the 3-point line. However, that is only good for the Celtics to view the 26-year-old guard as another means to salary reduction.
That seems to be a matter of timing rather than Simons’ potential, as the Celtics continue to prioritize financial flexibility over roster upgrades for the new season. Alongside Simons, Boston is also understood to be looking for avenues to trade Georges Niang.
Porzingis was owed over $30 million for the upcoming season while Holiday was owed $32 million. The combined moves are understood to have saved the Celtics close to $200 million in combined salaries and luxury tax payments.
However, they are still projected to have a payroll of over $207 million, $20 million above the luxury tax threshold. As a result, even the likes of Derrick White and Jaylen Brown have been subjected to considerable trade rumors in recent weeks.
