“Simons may never play a game in a Celtics uniform. His departure from Boston is written on the wall, and teams have taken note,” said NESN reporter Colin Keane. Despite acquiring guard Anfernee Simons in a June trade with the Portland Trail Blazers, reports reveal that the Boston Celtics will stick to their offseason plan of cutting salary to stay below the NBA’s second luxury tax apron. With Simon’s contract expiring, the player has become the obvious candidate for a trade, and rumors have already linked him to other teams. Amidst this, one name has popped up that offers the 26-year-old a chance to play with a 2x MVP who is hungry for another championship title.
According to ‘Hoops Wire’ reporter Sam Amico, the Philadelphia 76ers and the Denver Nuggets are standing out as the two top candidates to make an appeal for Anfernee Simons. In 2025-26, Simons will earn a base salary of $27,678,571—fully guaranteed. At the same time, as Sam Amico wrote, “Sources said the Bucks could be another team that will make a run at Simons before training camp”. The Milwaukee Bucks have reportedly been “pushing their chips in”.
This comes amidst the months-old rumors that Giannis Antetokounmpo was looking to be traded from the team after finishing in the first round of the playoffs for 3 consecutive seasons. Shams Charania reported that for the first time in his career, Giannis Antetokounmpo is “open-minded about exploring whether his best long-term fit is remaining in Milwaukee or playing elsewhere.”
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The acquisition of Myles Turner allows one player to be paired with Giannis in the frontcourt. However, before it is too late, the Bucks still need to get some help in the backcourt. Anfernee Simons is a “logical addition”, as reported by ‘Athlon Sports’ reporter Andy Patton. After all, the shooting guard can provide floor spacing, and an experience that spans 7 years.
This is a developing story.