Boston’s Bridge Year: What’s Next for Anfernee Simons and the Celtics?
The Boston Celtics have already made waves this offseason, sending Kristaps Porziņģis to the Atlanta Hawks and Jrue Holiday to the Portland Trail Blazers. Both moves were calculated steps to keep the team under the NBA’s dreaded second-apron tax threshold.
But the trade carousel in Boston may not be slowing down just yet.
One of the players Boston acquired in the Holiday deal—Anfernee Simons—could be on the move again before long.
Simons’ Uncertain Stay in Boston
NBA insider Jake Fischer reports:
“The expectation persists, furthermore, that Boston will continue to invite trade discussion involving Anfernee Simons from now through next season’s trade deadline on Feb. 5 at 3 p.m. ET.”
The 26-year-old guard, coming off a season in which he averaged 19.3 points and 4.8 assists while shooting 42.6% from the field and 36.3% from deep, is set to earn $27.6 million in 2025–26. That’s a sizable number for what’s likely to be a one-year rental—he hits free agency next summer and is expected to command $20–25 million annually on his next deal.
A Bridge Year in Beantown
Boston isn’t punting the 2025–26 season, but there’s a clear sense of transition. Jayson Tatum is expected to miss the year recovering from a torn Achilles, leaving Jaylen Brown and Derrick White as the team’s main engines. While that duo can keep Boston competitive, few see the Celtics as true title contenders without Tatum.
That reality makes Simons’ fit a tricky one. With Brown, White, and Tatum combining for $145.7 million in salary next season, locking in another big-money guard long term could be a financial stretch. The front office might prefer to flip Simons for cost-controlled role players—or package him in a deal for another star.
Multiple Paths Forward
The Celtics have options. They could:
- Trade Simons before the season to maximize value now.
- Carry him into the season, gauge their playoff chances, and decide closer to the February 5 trade deadline.
- Keep him for the year and explore sign-and-trade possibilities next summer.
What seems unlikely is Boston re-signing him outright. For now, Simons feels like a one-and-done Celtic—but in a bridge year with financial constraints, his value as a trade chip may be just as important as his value on the court.
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