The Boston Celtics are exploring all of their options with guard Anfernee Simons ahead of the Feb. 5 trade deadline, according to NBA insider Jake Fischer.
Fischer reported Tuesday the Celtics “could very well elect to keep Simons” and may be content to have his $27.7 million expiring salary on the books.
“I do suspect, though, that if Boston could somehow move Simons for a rotational upgrade and lower their tax bill in the process — or get out of that penalty zone all together — that would check all of the boxes Brad Stevens’ front office could conjure up,” Fischer added.
Boston shifted its short-term priorities in the wake of Jayson Tatum’s Achilles injury. With a championship quest on hold, the organization got a head start on its looming salary cap crunch by shedding a ton of cash.
The Celtics were on the hook for $245.7 million in 2024-25 between their payroll and luxury tax bill. That number is down to $239.5 million. For reference, they were due to spend around $280 million in tax payments alone if they ran it back with last year’s squad.
Stevens may have acquired Simons with an eye toward flipping him down the road and saving a bit more money, only for Boston’s 18-11 start to force a rethink. When the Celtics are sitting third in the Eastern Conference, they’re not going to execute a largely financially driven trade that makes them worse right now.
Simons hasn’t exactly boosted his trade value, either. He’s averaging 13 points off the bench and shoting 36.9 percent from beyond the arc. The 26-year-old is pretty much the same player he was with the Portland Trail Blazers.
Boston certainly needs help in the frontcourt when it’s starting Josh Minott and Neemias Queta at the 4 and 5 respectively. Using Simons to strengthen at one of those two positions makes of sense in theory.
Stevens shouldn’t settle for a lackluster offer, though, just to get off his contract when the team is winning games with its current formula.