Boston Celtics continue to pursue a trade deal for Anfernee Simons, according to Brian Windhorst's recent report.
The Boston Celtics are currently exploring trade options for Anfernee Simons, the shooting guard they acquired from the Portland Trail Blazers in a deal that sent veteran Jrue Holiday to the West Coast. The move comes as the Celtics find themselves $20 million over the salary cap for the upcoming 2025-26 season.
Simons, who is owed $27.7 million next season, is on an expiring contract, making him an attractive asset for teams looking to offload salary commitments. NBA insiders believe Simons could be on the move again this offseason, with teams such as Dallas, Golden State, and New Orleans reportedly showing interest.
The Celtics' front office, led by Brad Stevens, is not viewing this as a rebuild but rather a retooling phase. Despite Simons' impressive stats, including a new personal best of 17.3 points per game in the 2021-22 season and a career-high 70 games started in 2024-25, the team sees trading him as a necessary financial move due to their current financial situation.
The original trade with Portland was amended to a straight player-for-player swap (Jrue Holiday for Anfernee Simons) without any future second-round picks involved. However, it's important to note that the deal with Simons is still active, with him currently on the Celtics' roster.
The absence of Jayson Tatum, who tore his Achilles during the 2025 playoffs, is a significant loss for the Celtics. Tatum's production is crucial for the team's hopes of making another deep run and winning a championship. It would be ideal for Boston to get below the luxury tax in a season where they do not have Tatum, and trading Simons could help them achieve this goal.
ESPN's Brian Windhorst has noted that the Celtics are "actively" trying to trade Simons, but he remains skeptical whether Boston can make a trade for Simons happen this offseason. As the Celtics continue their pursuit of financial flexibility, fans and analysts alike will be watching closely to see how this situation develops.
[1] ESPN.com, "Celtics Acquire Anfernee Simons in Jrue Holiday Trade", 2025. [2] NBA.com, "Celtics, Trail Blazers Agree on Jrue Holiday Trade", 2025. [3] SB Nation, "Celtics Exploring Trades for Anfernee Simons", 2025. [4] Bleacher Report, "Sources: Celtics Pursuing Trade of Anfernee Simons", 2025.
- The Celtics are actively pursuing a trade for Anfernee Simons, seeking financial flexibility for the upcoming 2025-26 NBA season, where they will be without Jayson Tatum due to his Achilles injury sustained during the playoffs.
- Despite Simons' impressive stats and career-high number of games started, the Celtics see trading him as a necessary move to get below the luxury tax and maintain competitiveness in the NBA playoffs.
- With teams like Dallas, Golden State, and New Orleans reportedly showing interest, NBA insiders believe Simons could be on the move once again during the 2025 offseason, making him a valuable asset for teams looking to offload salary commitments.
