The Celtics are still “very much willing” to discuss Anfernee Simons trade scenarios, one general manager tells Steve Bulpett of Heavy.com. However, another veteran personnel executive suggested that Boston might be better off hanging onto Simons through the start of the regular season.
“Other than Jaylen Brown, there’s not a better scorer than Simons on that roster,” the exec told Bulpett. “I mean, they obviously aren’t going to play the same way they played when they had (Kristaps) Porzingis and (Al) Horford and (Jrue) Holiday. (Head coach) Joe Mazzulla‘s going to have to completely change the style of play.
“Simons… nobody can score like him on that team other than Brown. He’s the second-best scorer, and it’s not even close. … I bet you he’s their leading scorer. Even with Jaylen. He’s going to have the ball a lot, and that dude can really score. That offense is going to have to change to accommodate him, and, on the last year of his contract, he’s going to let it fly.”
Simons is on an expiring $27.7MM contract and likely won’t factor into the Celtics’ plans beyond 2025/26. Having already ducked below the second tax apron, Boston reportedly has interest in shedding additional salary to perhaps move below the first apron or get out of tax territory altogether. But the club may have to exercise some patience to find the sort of deal it wants, another front office source told Bulpett.
“Anfernee Simons makes $27-plus million,” he said. “Who’s got room to put that in their cap? And he’s up after this year, so the Celtics aren’t going to want to take back anything that would load in more salary of less flexibility. I think, unless they are presented with some sweetheart situation, the most likely time for Simons to get moved — again, if he even does — would be at the trade deadline.
“I could see Boston being out of it and another team thinking they need a scorer like Simons to put them over the top. I could see another team that’s close wanting to add that kind of firepower down the stretch and into the playoffs. Even if it’s a rental, a team might go for him, because what we’re seeing now with the second apron and all that, if you win, it’s hard to keep a team with high-priced guys together. An expiring deal is so valuable.”
We have more notes from around the Atlantic:
- Celtics big man Neemias Queta came up big in Portugal’s first game of EuroBasket, piling up 23 points and 18 rebounds en route to a 62-50 victory over Czechia, as Semih Tuna of Eurohoops details. Queta, who may get a chance to compete for a starting role in Boston this fall, has a tougher matchup ahead of him on Friday when the Portuguese team takes on Nikola Jokic and the Serbians.
- C.J. Holmes of The New York Daily News (subscription required) considers the ways in which the Nets might use their remaining cap room, suggesting a deal with the Mavericks – who are looking to move off some salary to make room to sign Dante Exum – could be a logical fit for Brooklyn.
- The Delaware Blue Coats, the Sixers‘ G League affiliate, completed a three-team trade with the South Bay Lakers and Birmingham Squadron (Pelicans) that saw them acquire the returning rights to Malcolm Hill and South Bay’s 2026 first-round pick, the team announced (Twitter link). One of the outgoing pieces in the deal was the rights to Jared Brownridge, the former Santa Clara shooting guard who has played for Delaware since going undrafted in 2017. He ranks third all-time with 663 three-pointers made in G League regular season games.
Simons is comparable to Kuminga in they both can score but can’t do the extra stuff like rebounding and defense. So If Simons is not worth $27 million to Boston Kuminga can’t expect to get close to $27 million a year.
Both can get buckets… but Simons has PG skills. Blazers invested in him to pair with Lillard.
GS does not want to invest in Kuminga. Poor rebounder on an undersized team who doesn’t defend. JK hasn’t proven his value at all.
Queta looks awesome in EuroBasket tourney.
Queta has skill, and the Celtics like him a lot. He can rim run, protect the rim, and he’s been in the system a while. He’s can hold his own. I’m more worried about the rest of the big rotation. Boucher is a rotation player, but Tillman was awful last year, and I’m not sure Garza plays D well enough to stay on the floor.
If the Celtics do spotlight Anfernee Simons he may indeed outscore Jaylen Brown or Payton Pritchard. Or Derrick. This may stimulate another team to offer for him. And that’s the Celtic’s goal, to get below all luxury tax. Fans won’t hold this against the new owners but only for this one season. What bothers me is that the Celts haven’t even introduced Simons with a number. Not like classy Brad Stevens. That’s an insult and might eat away at Anfernee’s psyche. Or maybe make him play even harder especially if Celts feed him the ball. Crappy situation all around. Go Celtics!
People are thinking the Celtics are going to the lottery and it is crazy. Yes, I am a Celtic fan, but they have Brown, White and Pritchard who are all scorers returning and anyone of them can light it up. Add in Simons and Hauser and there is plenty of scoring. If Queta can handle playing D and rebounding with the occasional block, they will end up top 4 in the East. If any of their bench can become productive, and I will admit that is a huge weakness this year, they are going to compete in the East.
Al Horford will regret leaving for GS. GS is old and will not be able to handle people on D in the stacked west.
Simons will be a better defender bc the Celtics play D and will demand he play better. Will he lock people up, no…but he wont be a weak sister either.
D is played individually and as a team.
Boston needs to find a back up big. Tatum is an excellent re bounder and defender and that will be missed.
However, the idea that Boston is lottery is crazy. East is weak. Cleveland, NYK and Magic are solid, but Philly is ????? and without Embiid not very big, Atlanta is a ?, as is Detroit and Indiana. East is open and Boston has more talent than most of those teams in their starters.
I love that now without Tatum, a guy many people feel is overrated, the same people think Boston will tank…just hilarious.
As my Celtic homer point I will say, I for one have a lot of confidence in Jaylen Brown. The guy is nails, everything he does is thought-out and he will show everyone this year that his game is elite. He can score on anyone any time he wants and I think he will prove that during the season.
I also like the development projects they got going on with Gonzalez and Garza. Both could contribute at some point, but they are probably not contributors now.