<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/boston-celtics/celtics-news-anfernee-simons-cavs-logo-dagger');   ga('set', 'title', 'Anfernee Simons hits Cavs with logo dagger');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/IMG_0262.jpeg"><figcaption>Winslow Townson-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Anfernee Simons hits Cavs with logo dagger</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-10-29T19:53:27-07:00">October 29th, 7:53pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-10-29T19:53:27-07:00">October 29th, 7:53pm</time><address><a>David Yapkowitz</a>David Yapkowitz is an NBA Associate Editor at ClutchPoints. He is a credentialed reporter based in Los Angeles who covers the NBA/WNBA, NCAA/NCAAW and boys/girls high school basketball.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Boston Celtics</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/boston-celtics/celtics-news-crush-pelicans-avoid-worst-start-50-years">Boston Celtics have rebounded from an 0-3 start to the season</a> to win back-to-back games. The Celtics’ latest win came against the Cleveland Cavaliers, a team that could emerge as a contender in the Eastern Conference. The Celtics rolled to a win in blowout fashion, and Anfernee Simons poured salt onto the wound for the Cavs <a href="https://x.com/CelticsNationCP/status/1983700449686671504" rel="noopener">when he buried a</a> three-pointer from the logo to give the Celtics a 17-point lead.</p><p>Anfernee Simons’ logo three-pointer came late in the third quarter and it he ended up banking it in to beat the shot clock. During the Celtics’ win against the Cavs, Simons finished with 14 points and two assists in a little over 26 minutes of play. He shot 4-of-9 from the field and that logo shot was one of the four three-point shots he knocked down in the game (4-of-6). He also shot 2-of-2 from the free-throw line.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/boston-celtics/celtics-news-boston-pulls-off-stunning-jrue-holiday-trade-blazers-anfernee-simons">Simons was originally acquired by the Celtics in an offseason trade</a> with the Portland Trail Blazers that saw Jrue Holiday shipped to Portland. Simons has developed into a solid NBA player, he just didn’t garner much national attention due to playing on a team that was tanking.</p><p>The No. 24 overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, Simons played the first seven years of his career with the Blazers. Coming into Wednesday’s game, Simons had played in all four Celtics games to that point, at a little over 28 minutes per game.</p><p>He’s been coming off the bench for the Celtics and averaging 15.0 points, 3.0 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.3 steals with splits of 46.9 percent shooting from the field, 36.7 percent shooting from the three-point line and 75 percent shooting from the free-throw line. His field goal percentage is a career-high so far.</p><p>Simons has averaged double digits in scoring in the past four seasons, and hit over 20 points per game in 2022-23 and 2023-24.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Anfernee Simons hits Cavs with logo dagger

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/portland-trail-blazers/celtics-news-anfernee-simons-shock-chauncey-billups-arrest');   ga('set', 'title', 'Celtics’ Anfernee Simons ‘in shock’ over Chauncey Billups arrest');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/What-Celtics-Joe-Mazzulla-told-Anfernee-Simons-about-his-bad-defense.jpg"><figcaption>David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption></figure><h1>Celtics’ Anfernee Simons ‘in shock’ over Chauncey Billups arrest</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-10-24T12:17:29-07:00">October 24th, 12:17pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-10-24T12:17:29-07:00">October 24th, 12:17pm</time><address><a>Rishabh Bhatnagar</a>Rishabh is a seasoned NBA and sports journalist and editor with over seven years of experience working for reputed organizations. A novelist first and foremost, he has written three fiction books. His high threshold of knowledge combined with his writing skills gives him the ability to write uniquely insightful pieces across basketball, soccer, cricket, lawn tennis, eSports, and a variety of other sports.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Mere hours after coaching the Portland Trail Blazers to a 118-114 loss against the Minnesota Timberwolves, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/portland-trail-blazers/trail-blazers-news-chauncey-billups-releases-statement-denying-illegal-gambling-allegations">Chauncey Billups was arrested and charged with wire-fraud conspiracy</a> and money-laundering conspiracy. The probe has alleged that <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/portland-trail-blazers/blazers-news-chauncey-billups-arrested-terry-rozier-fbi-sports-gambling-probe">Billups was involved in an illegal gambling ring</a> with members and associates of the La Cosa Nostra organized crime families.’</p><p>Now, former Trail Blazer Anfernee Simons has <a href="https://x.com/ByJayKing/status/1981760171077448072">expressed his shock</a> at the arrest.</p><p>“It hit me pretty tough for sure. Just in shock. And obviously I’ve got a great relationship with Chauncey. Even after the trade, he’s checking in on me and I’m checking in on him,” he said, per The Athletic’s Jay King.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Anfernee Simons on the Chauncey Billups news: "It hit me pretty tough for sure. Just in shock. And obviously I’ve got a great relationship with Chauncey. Even after the trade, he’s checking in on me and I’m checking in on him. So we had a great relationship and I think like I…</p><p>— Jay King (@ByJayKing) <a href="https://twitter.com/ByJayKing/status/1981760171077448072?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 24, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>Billups arrived in Portland back in June 2021 and immediately helped Simons become a high-scoring guard.</p><p>“So we had a great relationship and I think like I said before it’s an unfortunate situation for him to be in, especially for him and his family, all the media attention that’s coming in, the scrutiny. It’s just an unfortunate situation,” he continued.</p><p>Prosecutors allege the poker ring used Billups as a recognizable “face card” to lure victims with the promise of playing against celebrities.The poker scheme is separate from, but related to, a broader federal probe that also includes an insider sports-betting case involving other defendants.</p><p>Authorities say the poker games were run <a href="https://www.reuters.com/sports/nbas-terry-rozier-chauncey-billups-arrested-sports-bet-probe-ap-reports-2025-10-23/" rel="noopener">in multiple hubs</a> since 2019, including Manhattan, the Hamptons, Las Vegas, and Miami, per Reuters. Investigators describe sophisticated cheating technology at those games, including altered shuffling machines that read decks, an X-ray poker table to reveal face-down cards, and marked-card systems visible through special contact lenses or glasses.</p><p>Officials said the poker conspiracy defrauded victims of at least $7 million, with some individual losses reaching seven figures. Billups appeared in federal court in Portland after his arrest and is expected to post a substantial bond as the case proceeds.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Celtics’ Anfernee Simons ‘in shock’ over Chauncey Billups arrest

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/boston-celtics/celtics-news-what-joe-mazzulla-told-anfernee-simons-about-bad-defense');   ga('set', 'title', 'What Celtics’ Joe Mazzulla told Anfernee Simons about his ‘bad’ defense');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/What-Celtics-Joe-Mazzulla-told-Anfernee-Simons-about-his-bad-defense.jpg"><figcaption>David Butler II-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>What Celtics’ Joe Mazzulla told Anfernee Simons about his ‘bad’ defense</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-09-29T15:26:46-07:00">September 29th, 3:26pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-09-29T15:26:46-07:00">September 29th, 3:26pm</time><address><a>Daniel Donabedian</a>Daniel Donabedian is a beat reporter for ClutchPoints covering the Boston Celtics. He's also covered Villanova men's basketball and Big East basketball, building a strong reputation in the northeast.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Boston Celtics</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>BOSTON — There’s no denying that <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/boston-celtics/3-reasons-celtics-won-jrue-holiday-anfernee-simons-trade">Boston Celtics guard Anfernee Simons is an elite shooter</a>. But whenever his talents are discussed, it always comes with a caveat about his lacking defensive ability.</p><p>Simons wants to change that, and Boston will provide him with the chance to do so on a bigger stage than the former Portland Trail Blazer is used to. In fact, Simons revealed during media day on Monday afternoon that he’s already discussed his previous defensive woes with Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla.</p><p>“We talked about it,” he said. “He always says that, ‘You know, you’re not as bad as people think you are.’ And so that’s good to hear, but also I got to be able to get better in that and focusing on exactly what we need to do on defensive end.”</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Anfernee Simons said he’s had “honest conversations” about his defense with Joe Mazzulla:</p><p>“You’re not as bad as people think you are,” Mazzulla told him.</p><p>“I’m pretty excited about being pushed to a new level,” Simons said. <a href="https://t.co/w1rsB21a4E">pic.twitter.com/w1rsB21a4E</a></p><p>— Daniel Donabedian (@danield1214) <a href="https://twitter.com/danield1214/status/1972693343340499443?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 29, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p><a href="https://x.com/NBA_University/status/1747283885736481217" rel="noopener">By some metrics</a>, Simons was ranked one of the worst defensive players in the NBA in recent years. Yet, in spite of these struggles, he’s shined on the offensive side of the ball, averaging 15 points per game for his career and developing into a true starter who hasn’t come off the bench once in his last three seasons.</p><h2><b>What did Anfernee Simons say about joining the Celtics?</b></h2><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/boston-celtics/celtics-player-danger-losing-starting-job-2025-26-training-camp">Whether or not he starts in Boston remains to be seen</a>, but either way, Simons made it clear that winning is his top priority.</p><p>“I want to win,” he told the media. “I want to contribute to winning at the highest level. And so however that that looks like, I’m fine with. So [starting] can vary game to game. That’s what’s been said. And so, I’m pretty just excited about the opportunity to play with all these guys and, like I said, contribute to winning.”</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Anfernee Simons hints that the Celtics starting lineup will “vary from game-to-game”:</p><p>“I want to win. Like I said, I want to contribute to winning at the highest level. And so whatever that looks like, I'm fine with.” <a href="https://t.co/FKehdGlL3R">pic.twitter.com/FKehdGlL3R</a></p><p>— Daniel Donabedian (@danield1214) <a href="https://twitter.com/danield1214/status/1972694175440105908?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 29, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>Although the Blazers own a title, they’re not really seen as a premier franchise across the Association. Simons reached the playoffs in three of his seven seasons in Portland and hasn’t made it back since 2021.</p><p>The Celtics offer a very different situation, as they have the most titles in NBA history and currently have the longest active playoff streak. That winning culture is part of the reason why Simons was excited about <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-stories/jrue-holiday-trade-grades-for-celtics-blazers-after-stunning-deal">his trade to Boston</a>. It’s also why he knows he has to be better.</p><p>“Coming into a culture like this, you have to be able to adapt, or you’re not going to be in the position that you want to be,” Simons stated.</p><p>Coming to that realization shows Simons is ready for the shift from Portland to Boston. Now, he just has to prove it.</p><p>“And, you know, [playing defense] is just a matter of if I want to do it or not,” Simons said. “It’s really that simple.”</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

What Celtics’ Joe Mazzulla told Anfernee Simons about his ‘bad’ defense

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/boston-celtics/celtics-main-reason-not-trading-anfernee-simons');   ga('set', 'title', 'Celtics’ main reason for not trading Anfernee Simons right now');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Celtics-main-reason-for-not-trading-Anfernee-Simons-right-now-1.jpg"></figure><h1>Celtics’ main reason for not trading Anfernee Simons right now</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-08-27T13:46:40-07:00">August 27th, 1:46pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-08-27T13:46:40-07:00">August 27th, 1:46pm</time><address><a>Brett Siegel</a>Brett Siegel joined ClutchPoints as a credentialed NBA insider and reporter in May 2023 after previously covering the NBA for Fastbreak on FanNation and NBA Analysis Network, as well as working with Louisville Basketball. From playing to coaching to covering the game as a media member, Brett has been involved with the game of basketball from many different perspectives. Breaking the news of various free agent signings, yearly NBA Draft news and other key stories around the league, Brett is always on the phone, getting the latest news and rumors around the NBA. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @BrettSiegelNBA.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Boston Celtics</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Boston Celtics have endured a busy offseason, trading the likes of Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday after recently winning the 2024 NBA Finals. One of the players Brad Stevens added to his roster by trading away the two former All-Stars was Anfernee Simons, but now there are questions about whether he will begin the 2025-26 season with Boston.</p><p>The word that best describes this offseason for the Celtics is “<i>change.”</i></p><p>Aside from their massive roster changes and overhaul around Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Derrick White, the C’s saw long-time owner <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/boston-celtics/celtics-news-boston-officially-announces-completion-6-1-billion-sale">Wyc Grousbeck officially hand over duties to new owner Bill Chisholm</a>.</p><p>Since Tatum is expected to <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/boston-celtics/celtics-rumors-boston-insider-take-jayson-tatum-injury-status">miss a vast majority of the 2025-26 season</a> <i>(if not all)</i> rehabbing his Achilles injury, it was in Stevens’ and the organization’s best interest to cut their massive tax bill and move out of the tax aprons.</p><p>That is why Porzingis and Holiday were traded, as well as Georges Niang, whom the team acquired in their three-team Porzingis trade with the Atlanta Hawks.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-stories/sources-implications-celtics-blazers-trade-jrue-holiday-anfernee-simons">Simons was acquired by the Celtics</a> in their trade with the Portland Trail Blazers, and he is a young combo guard who can immediately make a difference as another perimeter shooter for head coach Joe Mazzulla to experiment with.</p><p>However, Simons’ name has surfaced in trade rumors this offseason since the Celtics added him in June.</p><p>The Celtics are still about <a href="https://www.capsheets.com/boston-celtics-cap-sheet/" rel="noopener">$4 million above the first apron</a> and $12 million into the luxury tax, which is why moving Simons and bringing back fewer salaries could be beneficial to the team’s cost-saving plan this offseason. Then again, Simons is still only 26 years old and on a $27.6 million expiring contract.</p><p>While Simons’ name continues to come up in rumors around the league, there are reasons for the Celtics to wait on this decision before the 2025-26 season.</p><h2><b>The value Anfernee Simons can present to Celtics</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Anfernee-Simons-vs.-Celtics.jpg"><figcaption>Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Over the last handful of seasons, the Celtics have been right at the top of the Eastern Conference as legitimate title contenders. That won’t be the case during the 2025-26 season, as Stevens and the front office are basically hitting the reset button and conducting early evaluations as to what the roster will look like for the 2026-27 season.</p><p>Even though the Celtics will remain competitive and are not entirely tanking this upcoming year, it’s clear that they are no longer a part of the upper echelon of teams in the championship mix without Tatum.</p><p>As a result, players like Payton Pritchard, Sam Hauser, and Anfernee Simons all have a great opportunity to prove their worth in elevated roles.</p><p>In Simons’ case, he joined Boston after spending the first seven years of his career in Portland. Last season, he averaged 19.3 points and 4.8 assists per game while shooting 36.3 percent from 3-point range and making 215 triples in 70 games.</p><p>If he were on the Celtics’ roster, Simons would’ve ranked fourth in total threes behind White, Tatum, and Pritchard.</p><p>Mazzulla has put a point of emphasis on his team shooting more perimeter shots over the last two years, which is why Simons is the ideal player for the Celtics to take a chance on. After all, the worst thing that happens is that things don’t work out, and he becomes a free agent in 2026.</p><p>The Celtics made this trade involving Holiday for Simons with the mindset of creating options for themselves, and as a result, they can continue to gauge potential interest in the young guard now through the trade deadline in February.</p><p>Over the last several weeks, the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-stories/jonathan-kuminga-josh-giddey-intel-entering-september-siegels-scoop">Celtics have continued to put out feelers</a> to teams that have shown past interest in the young guard to get a sense of what his market currently looks like and could shape up to be before the trade deadline in February, sources said.</p><p>Although it doesn’t appear as if a trade is on the horizon before training camp, this has not stopped Boston from exploring potential paths to a deal involving Simons.</p><p>Other than remaining competitive and finding ways to continue cutting costs, the Celtics’ other main goal is to maintain financial flexibility. If they were to make a trade, Boston wouldn’t want any long-term salary, which is another reason why holding onto Simons to begin the season makes the most sense.</p><p>However, the Celtics’ main reason for not trading Simons right now is the fact that he could end up being a diamond in the rough for them.</p><p>In Portland, Simons was tasked at a young age with being the team’s main offensive weapon, and he, for the most part, succeeded in this role. Now that he is the third- or fourth-best scoring option in Boston, Simons could unlock a whole new path in his career, one where he becomes one of the leaders in three-point shooting across the league.</p><p>Since he is on an expiring deal, the Celtics have no need to rush into a trade unless they are receiving unthinkable value. More teams will express interest in Simons as the season goes on and players end up getting hurt, which is why his value will only increase before the trade deadline.</p><p>This is especially true if he finds a lot of success as an efficient three-point shooter in Mazzulla’s offensive plans.</p><p>Looking ahead past the trade deadline, perhaps there is even a path to the Celtics holding onto Simons and seeking to sign him to a smaller contract next offseason to get back to their championship ways.</p><p>Simons is just now reaching the prime years of his career, and the Celtics have a chance to get a really strong look at him before he hits unrestricted free agency.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Celtics’ main reason for not trading Anfernee Simons right now

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/boston-celtics/celtics-rumors-what-boston-is-seeking-in-anfernee-simons-trade');   ga('set', 'title', 'Celtics rumors: What Boston is seeking in Anfernee Simons trade');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Blazers-Anfernee-Simons.jpg"><figcaption>Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Celtics rumors: What Boston is seeking in Anfernee Simons trade</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-08-27T09:14:48-07:00">August 27th, 9:14am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-08-27T09:15:34-07:00">August 27th, 9:15am</time><address><a>Julian Ojeda</a>Julian Ojeda is an Orlando-based sports journalist with 3 years of professional writing under his belt, specializing in both NBA and NFL coverage. A devoted Orlando Magic fan, he deftly balances fervent fandom with insightful reporting, possessing a keen eye for compelling narratives.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Boston Celtics</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-stories/jonathan-kuminga-josh-giddey-intel-entering-september-siegels-scoop">Boston Celtics continue to weigh their options with guard Anfernee Simons</a> as the 2025-26 NBA season approaches. According to ClutchPoints’ NBA insider Brett Siegel, Boston has established clear priorities should they decide to move the 26-year-old guard, though no trade appears imminent before training camp.</p><p>Simons, who was <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/boston-celtics/celtics-news-jrue-holiday-anfernee-simons-trade-blazers-catch">acquired earlier this offseason from the Portland Trail Blazers</a> in exchange for Jrue Holiday and two second-round picks, is entering the final year of his contract. He is set to earn $27.6 million in 2025-26, giving Boston a sizeable expiring salary to work with if they choose to pursue additional depth.</p><p>Siegel reported that Boston’s front office has three primary goals in mind regarding a potential Simons deal.</p><p>“While it doesn’t appear as if there is a trade on the horizon involving Simons before training camp, the Celtics have been aggressive in shedding cap space and salaries this summer. Simons is the next player on the market, as the organization holds no desire to move Payton Pritchard or Sam Hauser at this time,” Siegel wrote.</p><p>“Three goals exist for the Celtics right now. Aside from remaining competitive and finding ways to further cut down on their overall tax bill, Boston wants to maintain financial flexibility. Simons is in the final year of his contract and making $27.6 million, giving the Celtics a large buffer to work with and potentially add depth to their roster during the upcoming season.”</p><p>Boston’s preference in any trade is to expand its overall depth while avoiding long-term contracts, unless the player acquired is considered a direct contributor to the team’s future outlook for 2026-27. The approach mirrors the franchise’s strategy in 2023, when they brought in Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis on deals that balanced financial considerations with immediate competitiveness.</p><h2><b>Celtics balances cap savings with Anfernee Simons’ expiring contract as trade options remain open</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Celtics-still-trying-flip-Anfernee-Simons-Jrue-Holiday-trade.jpg"><figcaption>© Winslow Townson-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>The Celtics’ restructuring this offseason has been significant. Along with moving Holiday to Portland, the team also <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/boston-celtics/kristaps-porzingis-trade-grade-hawks-celtics-deal">sent Porzingis to the Atlanta Hawks</a>. The series of moves <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/boston-celtics/boston-celtics-2025-26-season-predictions">reportedly saved Boston over $300 million in projected spending</a>, reducing luxury tax obligations while maintaining the flexibility to adjust the roster further.</p><p>Simons arrives in Boston with proven scoring ability, though his future with the franchise remains uncertain. Last season with Portland, he averaged 19.3 points, 4.8 assists, and 2.7 rebounds per game while shooting 42.6% from the field and 36.3% from three across 70 appearances. His skillset offers the Celtics another perimeter scoring option, but the organization appears more focused on how his expiring contract could be leveraged in-season.</p><p>For now, Boston appears prepared to retain Simons into the start of the year, with the potential for a move later depending on the team’s needs and the market. The Celtics open their season on October 22 at TD Garden, hosting the Philadelphia 76ers with a restructured roster and without <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/boston-celtics/celtics-rumors-boston-insider-take-jayson-tatum-injury-status">Jayson Tatum, who is sidelined following an Achilles tear</a>.</p><p>Simons’ role will become clearer as the season unfolds, but his contract status and Boston’s financial strategy ensure he will remain a central figure in trade discussions throughout 2025-26.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Celtics rumors: What Boston is seeking in Anfernee Simons trade

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/boston-celtics/nba-rumors-nuggets-76ers-reported-anfernee-simons-trade-interest-doesnt-make-sense');   ga('set', 'title', 'NBA rumors: Why Nuggets, 76ers’ reported Anfernee Simons trade interest doesn’t make sense');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Simons-vs-the-Knicks.jpg"><figcaption>Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>NBA rumors: Why Nuggets, 76ers’ reported Anfernee Simons trade interest doesn’t make sense</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-08-24T11:56:23-07:00">August 24th, 11:56am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-08-24T11:56:23-07:00">August 24th, 11:56am</time><address><a>Jackson Stone</a>Jackson Stone is a Mercer University alum from Atlanta who graduated with a BA in communications. A lifelong sports lover, Jackson is a die-hard fan of all Atlanta teams. He joined ClutchPoints in 2023.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Boston Celtics</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/boston-celtics/3-reasons-to-be-optimistic-about-the-2025-26-celtics">Boston Celtics have had arguably</a> the most eventful offseason of the summer, essentially throwing in the towel on the 2025-26 season by trading Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis, with Jayson Tatum recovering from a torn Achilles. The Celtics did get back an interesting piece from the Portland Trail Blazers <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/boston-celtics/celtics-rumors-anfernee-simons-trade-buzz-continues-latest-jazz-move">in Anfernee Simons</a>, albeit one that doesn’t necessarily fit next to Jaylen Brown and Derrick White.</p><p>This being the case, many have wondered if the Celtics would also take calls on Simons ahead of next season, and Sam Amico of hoopswire.com recently reported that both the Philadelphia 76ers and Denver Nuggets have interest.</p><p>However, Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints has since <a href="https://x.com/BrettSiegelNBA/status/1959677476990492814" rel="noopener">broken down how</a> the financial component may make that difficult for both teams.</p><p>“The 76ers are $9.8M from the first apron, have yet to sign Quentin Grimes, and have plenty of backcourt depth they’re high on,” reported Siegel on X, formerly Twitter. “The Nuggets just cleared money this offseason for a reason and would need to trade Cam Johnson or Aaron Gordon. That’s not happening.”</p><p>Indeed, it would appear highly unlikely that the 76ers or Nuggets would have the means or motivation to acquire Simons at his current price point.</p><h2><b>A strange Celtics team</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Brown-vs-the-Knicks.jpg"><figcaption>Brad Penner-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>With Derrick White and Jaylen Brown still in uniform, there’s a chance the Celtics could still backdoor their way into a playoff spot next year if things break right in the Eastern Conference.</p><p>However, the 2025-26 campaign is clearly being viewed as a transitional year for a Celtics team that saw its franchise player in Jayson Tatum go down with a devastating Achilles tear in their second round playoff loss vs the New York Knicks.</p><p>It will be interesting to see how much leash head coach Joe Mazzulla gives to younger players like Jordan Walsh and Baylor Scheierman this year, considering both have shown flashes in limited minutes up to this point.</p><p>Simons also still theoretically has some room to improve in a new system at the age of 26.</p><p>In any case, the Celtics will kick off their 2025-26 season at home against the Philadelphia 76ers on October 22.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

NBA rumors: Why Nuggets, 76ers’ reported Anfernee Simons trade interest doesn’t make sense

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/boston-celtics/celtics-rumors-anfernee-simons-trade-buzz-continues-latest-jazz-move');   ga('set', 'title', 'Celtics rumors: Anfernee Simons trade buzz continues after latest Jazz move');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Celtics-guard-Anfernee-Simons.jpg"><figcaption>Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Celtics rumors: Anfernee Simons trade buzz continues after latest Jazz move</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-08-10T18:26:24-07:00">August 10th, 6:26pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-08-11T09:12:58-07:00">August 11th, 9:12am</time><address><a>Abdullah Imran</a>Abdullah Imran works as an Associate Editor for All Sports at ClutchPoints. He’s been a sports fan his entire life and enjoys writing about every sport. He has spent three years in sports journalism and loves analyzing games. In his free time, he very much enjoys binge-watching shows and playing video games.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Boston Celtics</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Boston Celtics’ offseason overhaul shows no signs of slowing, and the future of guard <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-stories/ranking-5-best-anfernee-simons-trade-destinations">Anfernee Simons remains a central talking point</a>.</p><p>“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,” NBA reporter Jake Fischer of The Stein Line noted.</p><p><a href="https://marcstein.substack.com/p/jake-fischer-latest-lots-of-fresh?utm_source=post-email-title&amp;publication_id=392205&amp;post_id=170510781&amp;utm_campaign=email-post-title&amp;isFreemail=false&amp;r=39f60&amp;triedRedirect=true&amp;utm_medium=email" rel="noopener">Although no deal is imminent</a>, league expectations indicate that Simons could be moved before his contract expires next summer.</p><p>Simons arrived in Boston last month from Portland in the Jrue Holiday trade, part of a broader effort by the president of basketball operations, Brad Stevens, to slash payroll under new ownership.</p><p>The former 24th overall pick in 2018 spent seven seasons with the Trail Blazers, averaging 15.0 points on 43.1% shooting, including 38.1% from three. Over the past three seasons, he posted 20.7 points per game and made 583 three-pointers. Last season, he averaged 19.3 points and 4.8 assists while shooting 42.6% from the field and 36.3% from deep.</p><p>Simons will play 2025-26 on a $27.6 million expiring deal, making him a potential one-year rental wherever he lands. With <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/boston-celtics/celtics-news-jayson-tatum-said-injury-rehab-patriots-visit">Jayson Tatum sidelined for the entire season due to a torn Achilles</a>, Boston has shifted toward a bridge year approach, leaning on Jaylen Brown and Derrick White to keep them be competitive but not expecting a championship run.</p><p>Given Tatum, Brown, and White’s combined $145.7 million cap hit next season, re-signing Simons at a projected $20 million–25 million annually is unlikely.</p><p>Boston’s cap maneuvering has been aggressive. Earlier this offseason, they traded Kristaps Porzingis to Atlanta and Holiday to Portland, saving over $250 million in salary and luxury tax payments.</p><p>Most recently, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/boston-celtics/celtics-news-real-reason-boston-traded-georges-niang-jazz">the Celtics dealt Georges Niang</a> and two second-round picks to the Utah Jazz for rookie RJ Luis Jr. on a two-way contract. The Niang move alone cut nearly $43 million from the tax bill, reducing it from $540 million on June 15 to $239 million as of August 5. The Celtics can drop below the tax line entirely by shedding another $12 million in salary.</p><p>While the Niang trade was purely financial, it also showed Boston’s willingness to adjust its roster throughout the season. The team could retain Simons for the season to evaluate playoff prospects before deciding on a trade. Even if he finishes the year in Boston, a sign-and-trade could prevent the team from losing him for nothing in free agency.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Celtics rumors: Anfernee Simons trade buzz continues after latest Jazz move

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/boston-celtics/celtics-rumors-boston-still-flip-anfernee-simons-jrue-holiday-trade');   ga('set', 'title', 'Celtics rumors: Boston still trying to flip Anfernee Simons after Jrue Holiday trade');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Celtics-still-trying-flip-Anfernee-Simons-Jrue-Holiday-trade.jpg"><figcaption>© Winslow Townson-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Celtics rumors: Boston still trying to flip Anfernee Simons after Jrue Holiday trade</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-07-21T09:24:10-07:00">July 21st, 9:24am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-07-21T09:24:10-07:00">July 21st, 9:24am</time><address><a>Preston Byers</a>Preston Byers is an experienced writer and journalist who currently serves as an associate editor for ClutchPoints and as a staff writer at The Vindicator and Tribune Chronicle, where he covers sports in the Mahoning Valley. Previously, Preston worked as an associate editor for Dot Esports and a site expert for FanSided's Union and Blue.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Boston Celtics</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Despite statements to the contrary,<a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/boston-celtics"> the Boston Celtics</a> are reportedly eager to trade Anfernee Simons.</p><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/boston-celtics/celtics-news-boston-pulls-off-stunning-jrue-holiday-trade-blazers-anfernee-simons">Celtics acquired Simons from the Portland Trail Blazers</a> as part of a deal to offload Jrue Holiday, who, coincidentally, Boston initially acquired from Portland two years ago. And while Simons, a talented 26-year-old combo guard, would seem like a good fit for the Celtics, the team <a href="https://marcstein.substack.com/p/sunday-best-the-latest-hottest-and?utm_source=post-email-title&amp;publication_id=392205&amp;post_id=168821876&amp;utm_campaign=email-post-title&amp;isFreemail=false&amp;r=39f60&amp;triedRedirect=true&amp;utm_medium=email" rel="noopener">is eyeing some kind</a> of trade this offseason, according to NBA insider Marc Stein.</p><p>“League sources say Boston continues to explore its trade options with newly acquired Anfernee Simons, who became a Celtic as part of the trade that sent Jrue Holiday to Portland,” Stein wrote for ‘The Stein Line’ newsletter.</p><p>“The Stein Line reported on June 28 that Simons was a re-trade candidate and it is believed that is still the case.”</p><p>This report, and several other previously, contradicts some of the<a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/boston-celtics/celtics-news-brad-stevens-anfernee-simons-remarks-trade-rumors-question"> remarks recently made by Celtics president Brad Stevens</a>.</p><p>“The whole goal of being in my position in Boston or playing in Boston, or coaching in Boston, is to compete for championships. And that’s what you always want to be and that’s ultimately going to be our north star as we again retool this thing,” Stevens said after praising Simons, who he called “one of the best shooters” and “one of the best tough shot makers” in the NBA.</p><p>Of course, it would fly in the face of logic for Stevens, as the president and de facto general manager of the Celtics, to publicly criticize Simons or announce he is available for a trade. If Boston is truly trying to move Simons, it is almost a certainty Stevens has made that abundantly clear in private conversations with other front offices.</p><p>Simons, who just turned 26 a month ago, had been <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/orlando-magic/magic-trade-proposal-anfernee-simons-celtics">connected to the Orlando Magic</a> before the offseason truly began. A native of Longwood, Florida, Simons spent most of his life in Central Florida before being selected by the Trail Blazers with the 24th overall pick in the 2018 draft.</p><p>With Portland, Simons averaged 15 points and 3 assists per game (numbers largely deflated by his first three years in the league). Over the past four seasons, as a regular starter, Simons averaged 20 points, 5 assists, and 3 rebounds while shooting 38% from 3-point range and 90% on free throws.</p><p>Notably, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/players/ae7c0944/anfernee-simons/contract">Simons is set to enter the final year of his contract</a> this coming season; he will make $27.7 million before, provided he does not sign an extension before then, becoming an unrestricted free agent next summer.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Celtics rumors: Boston still trying to flip Anfernee Simons after Jrue Holiday trade

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/boston-celtics/celtics-news-brad-stevens-anfernee-simons-remarks-trade-rumors-question');   ga('set', 'title', 'Celtics GM Brad Stevens’ Anfernee Simons remarks put trade rumors in question');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Celtics-news-Brad-Stevens-Anfernee-Simons-remarks-put-trade-rumors-in-question.jpg"><figcaption>David Butler II-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Celtics GM Brad Stevens’ Anfernee Simons remarks put trade rumors in question</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-07-14T16:39:59-07:00">July 14th, 4:39pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-07-14T16:39:59-07:00">July 14th, 4:39pm</time><address><a>Richard Pereira</a>Richard Pereira joined ClutchPoints in January 2025 as an Associate Editor. He earned his degree from Florida Atlantic University in 2023 and has been covering the school's athletic programs since 2020, having served as a Sports Editor at the FAU University Press. He was granted the unique opportunity to report on the men's basketball team's journey to the Final Four in Houston for FAU Owls Nest during March Madness, consistently striving to grow as a sports journalist.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Boston Celtics</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Trade rumors continue to surround <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/wizards-trade-proposal-for-anfernee-simons-celtics-rumors">Anfernee Simons even after he landed on the Boston Celtics</a> roster. Brad Stevens is making sure that is not the case this summer.</p><p>The Celtics acquired Simons from the Portland Trail Blazers in exchange for Jrue Holiday. It’s a move that sees the team get younger in the backcourt but maintain a lot of talent as Stevens <a href="https://youtu.be/MIpdUooRIvI?t=274" rel="noopener">expressed that during a July 14 edition</a> of NBA on ESPN.</p><p>“Well he’s 26 years old and he’s averaged 20 a game for three straight years. Which maybe people in New England or people in the East Coast don’t see as many Portland games late at night, right, that aren’t on League Pass. But I think that he’s a guy that can really score the ball. I think he’s one of the best shooters in the league. He is one of the best tough shot makers in the league. Just a really good player,” Stevens said at the 4:35 mark.</p><p>“The whole goal of being in my position in Boston or playing in Boston, or coaching in Boston, is to compete for championships. And that’s what you always want to be and that’s ultimately going to be our north star as we again retool this thing.”</p><h2><b>What lies ahead for Brad Stevens, Celtics</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Celtics-news-Brad-Stevens-Anfernee-Simons-remarks-put-trade-rumors-in-question-2.jpg"><figcaption>Winslow Townson-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>It’s clear that Brad Stevens sees plenty of potential with how Anfernee Simons can fit on the Celtics roster.</p><p>Boston has been aggressive in adjusting its team throughout the offseason. They moved on from Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis, star players who played huge roles in helping the squad win the 2024 NBA title. However, they had to part ways due to the severe penalties of the second apron.</p><p>This puts the Celtics in an intriguing situation next season, especially with Jayson Tatum likely being out for the season. Boston will want to maintain a status of title contention when healthy, but their current condition shows that they will have to go through plenty of ups and downs in the 2025-26 season.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Celtics GM Brad Stevens’ Anfernee Simons remarks put trade rumors in question

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/washington-wizards/wizards-trade-proposal-for-anfernee-simons-celtics-rumors');   ga('set', 'title', 'Wizards trade proposal for Anfernee Simons amid Celtics rumors');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/759833132-wizards-trade-proposal-for-anfernee-simons-amid-celtics-rumors.jpg"></figure><h1>Wizards trade proposal for Anfernee Simons amid Celtics rumors</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-07-09T13:40:36-07:00">July 9th, 1:40pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-07-10T14:07:18-07:00">July 10th, 2:07pm</time><address><a>Bailey Bassett</a>Bailey Bassett is a sports writer from Denver, Colorado, covering major sports events and athlete backgrounds at ClutchPoints. He has experience covering and writing on high school, collegiate, and professional sports.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Boston Celtics</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Boston Celtics made one of the biggest moves of the offseason when they <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-stories/jrue-holiday-trade-grades-for-celtics-blazers-after-stunning-deal">traded Jrue Holiday for Anfernee Simons.</a> The move was necessary for the Celtics because they wanted to get under the <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=apron+lines+nba&amp;client=safari&amp;sca_esv=160e23f215d5943b&amp;rls=en&amp;sxsrf=AE3TifNiapOZBdbaFbfwvsLKLC9RqR5jog%3A1752092397370&amp;ei=7c5uaLOyFtbAp84PtubOCA&amp;ved=0ahUKEwjz3NXnzLCOAxVW4MkDHTazEwEQ4dUDCBA&amp;uact=5&amp;oq=apron+lines+nba&amp;gs_lp=Egxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAiD2Fwcm9uIGxpbmVzIG5iYTIGEAAYFhgeMgsQABiABBiGAxiKBTILEAAYgAQYhgMYigUyCxAAGIAEGIYDGIoFMgsQABiABBiGAxiKBTILEAAYgAQYhgMYigUyBRAAGO8FMgUQABjvBTIIEAAYogQYiQUyBRAAGO8FSNgFULYBWLkEcAF4AZABAJgBlwKgAacEqgEFMi4xLjG4AQPIAQD4AQGYAgSgArYCwgIKEAAYsAMY1gQYR8ICBRAhGKABwgIFECEYqwLCAgUQIRifBZgDAIgGAZAGCJIHAzMuMaAHtxayBwMyLjG4B68CwgcFMi0zLjHIBxg&amp;sclient=gws-wiz-serp" rel="noopener">second apron</a>. Although Simons is a great scorer and a much younger player than Holiday, it doesn’t appear that Boston has plans to keep him around.</p><p>Reports suggest the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-stories/ranking-5-best-anfernee-simons-trade-destinations">Celtics are looking to flip Simons in another trade</a>. The Washington Wizards have an impressive young core, but they are lacking what Simons would bring to the table, so they make a lot of sense as a trade partner after trading away Jordan Poole.</p><h2><b>Wizards trade proposal for Anfernee Simons</b></h2><p><b>Wizards receive:</b> Anfernee Simons</p><p><b>Celtics receive:</b> Corey Kispert, Richaun Holmes, two second-round picks</p><p>The Celtics seemingly won the Holiday-Simons trade, according to consensus. Simons averaged 19.3 points per game because he has a versatile offensive skill set. He is particularly deadly as a 3-point shooter, but he also plays on a significantly cheaper contract than Holiday.</p><p>Holiday is 35 years old and showed signs of regression last season. He is one of the greatest guard defenders ever, but he wasn’t as elite in that regard as usual in his last season in Boston.</p><p>The trade for Simons seemed like the perfect way to usher in a new era of contention, but the Celtics apparently want to trade him again. He only has one more year on his deal, so perhaps Boston is worried about the cost to retain him. Not to mention, they likely won’t compete for the title this upcoming season without <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/boston-celtics/celtics-news-jayson-tatum-posts-encouraging-video-after-achilles-surgery">Jayson Tatum, who is out for the year with a torn Achilles tendon.</a></p><p>Richaun Holmes is under contract for two more seasons, and Corey Kispert won’t hit the open market until after the 2028-29 season, so both of them could have an impact on the Celtics’ roster upon Tatum’s return. Boston is particularly thin at the center position, so Holmes could have a big role with the team.</p><p>In addition to trading Holiday, the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/boston-celtics/kristaps-porzingis-trade-grade-hawks-celtics-deal">Celtics also sent Kristaps Porzingis packing</a>, Luke Kornet signed with the San Antonio Spurs, and Al Horford is unlikely to return to the team. That leaves Neemias Queta, Xavier Tillman, and Luka Garza as the team’s only options at the center position.</p><p>Kispert would also be an intriguing option because he is one of the best 3-point shooters in the NBA, and Boston shoots more shots from beyond the arc than anybody else in the league. Kispert would fit right in while playing a Sam Hauser-esque role.</p><p>Neither Holmes nor Kispert are near the caliber of player Simons is, but the Celtics don’t seem motivated to make him a part of their core, and they are desperate to add more depth after a busy offseason of shedding contracts.</p><h2><b>Would the Wizards trade for Anfernee Simons?</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Anfernee-Simons-dribbling.jpg"><figcaption>Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption></figure><p>The Wizards have been busy molding a roster that is set up well for the future but also one that shouldn’t be atrocious next season.</p><p>They have an impressive young core, highlighted by 2025 draftees Tre Johnson and Will Riley, as well as 2024 NBA Draft first-rounders Alex Sarr, Kyshawn George, and Bub Carrington. They also just <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/washington-wizards/wizards-acquiring-cam-whitmore-in-trade-with-rockets">traded for recent first-rounders in Cam Whitmore</a> and Dillon Jones.</p><p>Washington has also been busy bringing in veterans who can mentor these youngsters. Marcus Smart, Khris Middleton, and CJ McCollum are all big-name players who have passed their primes but can still make an impact on the court. Simons would bridge the gap between the players who are brand new to the NBA and the aging veterans.</p><p>Simons is entering his eighth year in the NBA, but he is still just 26 years old. He’d help the Wizards get better right away, but he is still young enough to fit the team’s timeline.</p><p>Plus, Simons provides the self-creation and 3-point shooting lacking in Washington. Because the Celtics haven’t been able to find a trade partner for Simons yet, it seems likely that there isn’t much of a trade market for him. This trade proposal would be highway robbery for the Wizards, but it may actually be realistic.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Wizards trade proposal for Anfernee Simons amid Celtics rumors

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-trade-proposal-celtics-anfernee-simons-desmond-bane-replacement');   ga('set', 'title', 'Grizzlies trade proposal for Anfernee Simons finds Desmond Bane replacement');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/759772671-grizzlies-trade-proposal-for-anfernee-simons-finds-desmond-bane-replacement.jpg"></figure><h1>Grizzlies trade proposal for Anfernee Simons finds Desmond Bane replacement</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-07-09T12:26:15-07:00">July 9th, 12:26pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-07-09T12:26:46-07:00">July 9th, 12:26pm</time><address><a>Bailey Bassett</a>Bailey Bassett is a sports writer from Denver, Colorado, covering major sports events and athlete backgrounds at ClutchPoints. He has experience covering and writing on high school, collegiate, and professional sports.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Boston Celtics</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The<a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-stories/ranking-the-2025-offseason-of-all-30-nba-teams"> 2025 NBA offseason</a> has been full of blockbuster moves. One such shocking trade saw the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-stories/desmond-bane-trade-grades-magic-grizzlies-blockbuster">Memphis Grizzlies send Desmond Bane to the Orlando Magic</a> for four first-round picks, a first-round pick swap, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and Cole Anthony. Another jaw-dropper occurred when the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-stories/jrue-holiday-trade-grades-for-celtics-blazers-after-stunning-deal">Boston Celtics traded Jrue Holiday to the Portland Trail Blazers for Anfernee Simons.</a></p><p>Teams certainly aren’t done adjusting their rosters, and <a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/25224425-anfernee-simons-reportedly-shopped-celtics-nba-trade-talks-after-holiday-deal" rel="noopener">reports suggest</a> Simons could be on the move again. Perhaps the Grizzlies could find a replacement for Bane by trading for the recently acquired Celtics guard.</p><h2><b>Grizzlies trade proposal for Anfernee Simons</b></h2><p><b>Grizzlies receive:</b> Anfernee Simons, cash considerations (from Nets)</p><p><b>Celtics receive:</b> Brandon Clarke, John Konchar, two second-round picks (from Grizzlies)</p><p><b>Nets receive:</b> G.G. Jackson</p><p>The Grizzlies are in a window of contention, so the fact that they traded one of their best players was somewhat surprising. The Magic simply offered too much for the Grizzlies to not trade Bane, though. Even so, they’d be smart to find an effective 3-point shooter who can fill Bane’s minutes at the shooting guard position alongside Ja Morant.</p><p>Simons could be that player. Simons averaged 19.3 points and hit 3.1 deep balls per game last season. His all-around scoring could take some of the burden off of Morant’s shoulders, and the spacing he provides would be beneficial to a slashing playmaker like Morant.</p><p>Simons would be a great upgrade over Brandon Clarke and John Konchar, though Losing G.G. Jackson would hurt. The South Carolina product, who was the youngest player in the NBA as a rookie, showed a lot of promise in year one before injuries slowed him down in his second season. Even so, Jackson is still somewhat raw and doesn’t have a clear path to rotation minutes, so getting a proven scorer like Simons would be worth it, especially because Simons is still just 26 years old.</p><p>The Western Conference is stacked, and the Grizzlies’ trade of Bane didn’t necessarily help them in the present. The addition of Simons would get them right back in the title picture, though.</p><h2><b>Will the Celtics trade Anfernee Simons?</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Celtics-guard-Anfernee-Simons.jpg"><figcaption>Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>The Holiday-Simons trade was generally viewed as a win for Boston. Simons is much younger than his trade counterpart, and he comes on a cheaper contract, too. Additionally, Holiday showed signs of regression last season, and Simons may not have even hit his prime yet.</p><p>Even so, the Celtics never formally introduced Simons to the team, and they seem poised to flip him in a secondary trade. Boston is trying to get its finances in check during a season in which <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/boston-celtics/celtics-news-jayson-tatum-provides-nsfw-rehab-update-achilles-injury">Jayson Tatum will be out because of an Achilles injury.</a></p><p>A trade for Clarke and Konchar would save millions in cap space. This would help the Celtics get and stay below the second apron. Clarke and Konchar are both solid rotation pieces that are under contract for multiple seasons. They could take on bigger roles while Tatum is out and help the team contend for a championship upon his return.</p><p>The Brooklyn Nets would have to get involved to make the money line up, but they’d love to take on Jackson as another young piece for their rebuild. The Nets drafted five first-round picks, so they seem poised to let youngsters work out their flaws this upcoming season, even if it results in a lot of losses. Jackson has tons of potential and could become a star on a team like Brooklyn that would be willing to give him plenty of touches.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Grizzlies trade proposal for Anfernee Simons finds Desmond Bane replacement

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/orlando-magic/magic-trade-proposal-anfernee-simons-celtics');   ga('set', 'title', 'Magic trade proposal for Anfernee Simons brings in more shooting');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/759712785-magic-trade-proposal-for-anfernee-simons-brings-in-more-shooting.jpg"></figure><h1>Magic trade proposal for Anfernee Simons brings in more shooting</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-07-09T12:06:55-07:00">July 9th, 12:06pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-07-09T12:25:42-07:00">July 9th, 12:25pm</time><address><a>Bailey Bassett</a>Bailey Bassett is a sports writer from Denver, Colorado, covering major sports events and athlete backgrounds at ClutchPoints. He has experience covering and writing on high school, collegiate, and professional sports.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Boston Celtics</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Orlando Magic and Boston Celtics have undergone massive roster changes built on foundational philosophical changes in their organization. The Magic knew they needed shooting, so they went out and <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-stories/desmond-bane-trade-grades-magic-grizzlies-blockbuster">traded for Desmond Bane</a> and drafted Jase Richardson, both of whom are elite 3-point shooters. The Celtics, meanwhile, have been getting their finances in check by trading a number of their veterans. They<a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-stories/jrue-holiday-trade-grades-for-celtics-blazers-after-stunning-deal"> dealt Jrue Holiday</a> and Kristaps Porzingis, and they are <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/golden-state-warriors/warriors-rumors-marc-stein-al-horford-pursuit">unlikely to bring back Al Horford</a>. The Holiday trade, in particular, resulted in the team landing Anfernee Simons.</p><p>Most fans thought Boston won the Holiday-Simons trade. After all, Simons is the younger, cheaper, and better offensive player, while Holiday is clearly regressing and on a bad contract. Even so, the Celtics are <a href="https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/nba-trade-rumors-celtics-exploring-options-for-recent-acquisition-anfernee-simons-in-cost-cutting-move/" rel="noopener">reportedly</a> looking to flip Simons once again. So, could the Magic trade for Simons to bring in even more shooting?</p><h2><b>Magic trade proposal for Anfernee Simons</b></h2><p><b>Magic receive:</b> Anfernee Simons</p><p><b>Celtics receive:</b> Jonathan Isaac, Goga Bitadze, Tristan Da Silva</p><p>The Eastern Conference is wide open this year. The Celtics have been making contract-motivated moves to get under the second apron because their best player, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/boston-celtics/celtics-news-jayson-tatum-provides-nsfw-rehab-update-achilles-injury">Jayson Tatum, will miss next season with a torn Achilles</a>. He isn’t the only superstar who suffered that fate. Tyrese Haliburton and Damian Lillard also tore their Achilles tendons, the latter of whom has since been <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-stories/best-free-agent-destinations-for-damian-lillard-after-guard-was-waived-by-bucks">released by the Milwaukee Bucks.</a></p><p>The Magic are now in a prime position to make it to the NBA Finals. Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner form one of the best young duos in the NBA, and the team is filled with defensive specialists. They finished last in the league in shooting from beyond the arc last season, though.</p><p>Orlando made one of the biggest offseason moves to fix that problem by trading for Bane. It cost the team four first-round picks, a first-round pick swap, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and Cole Anthony. That was quite the price to pay for a non-All-Star, but Bane is exactly the type of player the Magic need. He is a versatile player who can thrive in any lineup, but most importantly, he is one of the best 3-point shooters in the NBA.</p><p>Simons would add even more shooting and offense to Orlando’s rotation. The guard averaged 19.3 points per game last season, and he was above 20 points per game in each of the two years prior. The IMG Academy alumni gets up greater than eight 3-point attempts per game on average at an efficient clip, too.</p><p>With Banchero, Wagner, Bane, Jalen Suggs, and Wendell Carter Jr. entrenched in the starting lineup, Simons could operate as arguably the best sixth man in the NBA. If the team pulled off this trade, even after the Bane deal, they would still have plenty of depth and defense on their roster, and they’d have to be looked at as title contenders.</p><h2><b>Would the Celtics flip Anfernee Simons?</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Anfernee-Simons-controls-the-ball.jpg"><figcaption>Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>The Celtics’ trade for Simons made a lot of sense. He is making just over $27 million in what is the last year of his contract. Holiday, meanwhile, is making over $30 million in each of the next three seasons. Simons could also provide an offensive boost in a year where the team’s top scorer will be sidelined.</p><p>Even so, Simons doesn’t appear to be a long-term option for the Celtics, so he could be dealt again. Boston could still get its finances a little bit more in check, and this deal would save them over half a million against the cap, which would help ensure getting below the second tax apron. Additionally, the Celtics don’t want to lose Simons for nothing next offseason, and they might not be able to afford to pay him.</p><p>Boston’s once great depth took a major hit this offseason, too, but this deal lands them three rotation-caliber players. Jonathan Isaac has struggled with injuries and doesn’t play starter minutes, but pound-for-pound, he is one of the best defensive players in the NBA. He can lock down guards on the perimeter or play inside and swat shots at the rim.</p><p>The team also desperately needs frontcourt depth with the departures of Porzingis and, eventually, Horford. Goga Bitadze is a part of a center rotation that includes Carter and Mo Wagner, so the Magic would likely be okay parting with him. Bitadze is far from a star, but he can provide reliable minutes scoring inside and collecting rebounds.</p><p>Tristan Da Silva would also be a good get for the Celtics. The 2024 first-rounder is a solid 3-point shooter, and the Celtics like to launch more deep balls than any other team in the NBA. All three of these players are under contract for the long run. Boston isn’t looking to contend without Tatum as much as it will look to win upon his return, so swapping an expiring contract for three long-term rotation options makes sense.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Magic trade proposal for Anfernee Simons brings in more shooting

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/nba-stories/ranking-5-best-anfernee-simons-trade-destinations');   ga('set', 'title', 'Ranking 5 best Anfernee Simons trade destinations for Celtics');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Ranking-X-best-Anfernee-Simons-trade-destinations-as-Celtics-try-to-flip-him.jpg"><figcaption>Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Ranking 5 best Anfernee Simons trade destinations for Celtics</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-07-09T12:04:53-07:00">July 9th, 12:04pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-07-09T12:04:53-07:00">July 9th, 12:04pm</time><address><a>Caleb Nixon</a>Caleb Nixon is a graduate of Northwestern’s Medill School of Journalism and currently works as a sports reporter for ABC27 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. In addition to his full-time role, Caleb pursues his passion for writing through freelance coverage of basketball and football.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Boston Celtics</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The focus for the Boston Celtics this offseason has been making the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/celtics-news-brad-stevens-admits-hardest-part-jrue-holiday-kristaps-porzingis-trades">most expensive team in NBA history</a> a now, much more affordable roster, and an Anfernee Simons trade could be the next step in that process.</p><p>First <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/editorials/jrue-holiday-trade-grades-for-celtics-blazers-after-stunning-deal">trading Jrue Holiday to the Portland Trail Blazers</a>, and then <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/kristaps-porzingis-trade-grade-hawks-celtics-deal">Kristaps Porziņģis to the Atlanta Hawks</a>, the Celtics are now below the second apron for the 2025-26 season.</p><p>Boston is just about <a href="https://hoopshype.com/salaries/boston_celtics/" rel="noopener">$10.7M from getting out of the aprons altogether</a>, according to HoopsHype. One player they’re <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IoxfkZbmngc" rel="noopener">attempting to maneuver</a> to completely reset their financial books: recent trade acquisition Anfernee Simons.</p><p>“I have talked to other teams who have said, ‘The Celtics are actively trying to trade Anfernee Simons,'” ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said on Wednesday’s Hoop Collective episode.</p><p>“It would behoove the Celtics for a variety of reasons to get out of the luxury tax this season to reset their repeater mover,” ESPN’s Tim Bontemps added.</p><p>Getting out of the luxury tax completely would be much more challenging. The 2025-26 luxury tax threshold is $187.895M. The Celtics would need to dump nearly $18.7M in salary to be below that mark.</p><p>That’s not the only challenge, though. Simons is making north of $27.6M in the final year of his four-year deal, meaning to dip below the luxury tax, Boston would need to make another salary dump trade.</p><p>The suitor must have the available cap space to absorb Simons’ contract. On the bright side, it is an expiring deal. These two factors together offer insight into potential suitors for the 26-year-old guard.</p><h2>1. Brooklyn Nets</h2><p>The Nets make the most sense because of their immense cap flexibility. With <a href="https://hoopshype.com/salaries/brooklyn_nets/" rel="noopener">a projected payroll of $127.7M</a>, according to HoopsHype, they are currently below the minimum team salary for the 2025-26 season.</p><p>The <a href="https://www.nba.com/news/nba-salary-cap-set-2025-26-season" rel="noopener">league minimum is set at $139.182M for the upcoming year.</a> Brooklyn will likely add at least $12M in salary before the start of the season, or they will be in jeopardy of not receiving a tax distribution in 2025-26.</p><p>For the Celtics to shed enough salary to dip below the first apron, and potentially the luxury tax altogether, Brooklyn would make the perfect trade partner for Anfernee Simons.</p><h2><b>2. Washington Wizards</b></h2><p>If there’s a team searching for young players and expiring contracts, it’s the Washington Wizards.</p><p>Even after reportedly trading Kelly Olynyk to the San Antonio Spurs, the Wizards have four players with nearly $99M in expiring contracts – Khris Middleton, CJ McCollum, Marcus Smart, and Richaun Holmes.</p><p>Washington is <a href="https://hoopshype.com/salaries/washington_wizards/" rel="noopener">$12M short of the luxury tax</a>, according to HoopsHype, meaning it’s feasible for them to take on Simons’ contract.</p><p>Similar to the Celtics’ trade with the Hawks, a three-team deal seems more likely in this scenario, given that Boston wants to minimize salary return.</p><h2><b>3. Detroit Pistons</b></h2><p>Now we get into the playoff teams. The Detroit Pistons are well below the luxury tax, <a href="https://hoopshype.com/salaries/detroit_pistons/" rel="noopener">more than $22M to be exact</a>, according to HoopsHype.</p><p>They surely have the cap flexibility to take on Simons, and with the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/pistons-news-trajan-langdon-breaks-silence-malik-beasley-betting-bombshell">uncertainty surrounding free agent Malik Beasley</a>, Detroit could be willing to gamble on his expiring contract.</p><p>The Pistons recently <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/pistons-news-detroit-agrees-to-48-million-duncan-robinson-sign-and-trade-with-heat">traded for Duncan Robinson</a>, in addition to <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/hawks-news-caris-levert-gets-100-honest-about-atlanta-future-free-agency">signing Caris LeVert</a>, so J.B. Bickerstaff may be satisfied with the Pistons’ backcourt.</p><p>But adding a player like Simons, who averaged 19.3 points per game last season, might be worth it to bolster Detroit’s chances in the East.</p><h2><b>4. Golden State Warriors</b></h2><p>There’s a lot of uncertainty in Golden State, especially surrounding <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-rumors-shams-confirms-heats-jonathan-kuminga-interest-amid-warriors-uncertainty">restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga</a>.</p><p>After Stephen Curry’s injury derailed the Warriors’ 2025 playoff run, Golden State, seeking youth and depth, could make Simons a natural fit alongside their remaining core.</p><p>Financially, the Warriors have flexibility. Their <a href="https://hoopshype.com/salaries/golden_state_warriors/" rel="noopener">projected 2025-26 salary is just under $169M</a>, according to HoopsHype, meaning they have roughly $17M before entering the luxury tax.</p><p>Golden State is a team reliant on its older stars. In a crowded Western Conference, adding a 26-year-old scoring guard could put them right back into the contention mix.</p><h2><b>5. Memphis Grizzlies</b></h2><p>Another Western Conference playoff team with financial flexibility: the Memphis Grizzlies.</p><p>After trading <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/magic-news-orlando-makes-two-contract-decisions-desmond-bane-trade">Desmond Bane to the Orlando Magic</a>, and reportedly <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/grizzlies-news-cole-anthony-cap-space-jaren-jackson-cam-spencer">buying out Cole Anthony</a> following the trade, Memphis is in dire need of another perimeter scorer.</p><p>The Grizzlies have <a href="https://hoopshype.com/salaries/memphis_grizzlies/" rel="noopener">roughly $14M before entering the luxury tax</a>, according to HoopsHype. Adding Anfernee Simons is possible, but is it plausible?</p><p>Memphis has a string of young players hungry for minutes. Guys like GG Jackson, Jaylen Wells, Scotty Pippen Jr., and Vince Williams Jr. have all shown promise.</p><p>Trading away Bane seems to indicate a shift in this Grizzlies group, one that might prioritize developing its own young players rather than trading for a new one.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Ranking 5 best Anfernee Simons trade destinations for Celtics

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/boston-celtics/celtics-rumors-boston-flip-anfernee-simons-jrue-holiday-trade');   ga('set', 'title', 'Celtics rumors: Boston ‘actively’ trying to flip Anfernee Simons after Holiday trade');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Anfernee-Simons.jpg"><figcaption>Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption></figure><h1>Celtics rumors: Boston ‘actively’ trying to flip Anfernee Simons after Holiday trade</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-07-09T09:00:03-07:00">July 9th, 9:00am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-07-09T16:41:13-07:00">July 9th, 4:41pm</time><address><a>Rishav Bhat</a>Rishav is a seasoned NBA and sports journalist and editor with over seven years of experience working for reputed organizations. A novelist first and foremost, he has written three fiction books. His high threshold of knowledge combined with his writing skills gives him the ability to write uniquely insightful pieces across basketball, soccer, cricket, lawn tennis, eSports, and a variety of other sports.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Boston Celtics</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Boston Celtics have had a consistently busy offseason as they attempt to prepare for a Jayson Tatum-less season. Having hit the reset button, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/boston-celtics/celtics-news-brad-stevens-admits-hardest-part-jrue-holiday-kristaps-porzingis-trades">the Celtics have made multiple moves to shed salary</a> and tuck themselves below the luxury tax threshold.</p><p>The most prominent among them have been the trades that sent Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday away, with the latter also resulting in the arrival of Anfernee Simons from the Portland Trail Blazers. Simons is owed around $27 million for the upcoming season, and the Celtics are still around <a href="https://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/281321/Celtics-Continue-To-Explore-Trading-Anfernee-Simons" rel="noopener">$20 million over the luxury tax threshold</a>, per Real GM.</p><p>Looking to shed further salary, the Celtics are understood to be actively trying to move Simons in another trade. </p><p>“I have talked to other teams who have said they are actively trying to trade Anfernee Simons. Whether they can or not is another [thing],” Brian Windhorst revealed on the Hoop Collective. </p><h2><b>Boston Celtics on mission to shed salary</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Celtics-guard-Derrick-White-Trail-Blazers-guard-Jrue-Holiday-and-Hawks-center-Kristaps-Porzingis.jpg"><figcaption>Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption></figure><p>Simons joined the Celtics after averaging 19.3 points, 4.8 assists, and 2.7 rebounds per game while scoring at almost 50% from the field and a career-high 38.1% from the 3-point line. However, that is only good for the Celtics to view the 26-year-old guard as another means to salary reduction. </p><p>That seems to be a matter of timing rather than Simons’ potential, as the Celtics continue to prioritize financial flexibility over roster upgrades for the new season. Alongside Simons, Boston is also understood to be looking for avenues to trade Georges Niang.</p><p>Porzingis was owed over $30 million for the upcoming season while Holiday was owed $32 million. The combined moves are understood to have saved <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-stories/siegels-scoop-latest-warriors-jonathan-kuminga-nba-free-agency-intel">the Celtics close to $200 million in combined salaries and luxury tax payments</a>. </p><p>However, they are still projected to have a payroll of over $207 million, $20 million above the luxury tax threshold. As a result, even the likes of Derrick White and Jaylen Brown have been subjected to considerable trade rumors in recent weeks. </p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Celtics rumors: Boston ‘actively’ trying to flip Anfernee Simons after Holiday trade

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/boston-celtics/celtics-news-jrue-holiday-anfernee-simons-trade-blazers-catch');   ga('set', 'title', 'Celtics finalize Jrue Holiday, Anfernee Simons trade with Blazers, but there’s a catch');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Anfernee-Simons-and-Jrue-Holiday.jpg"><figcaption>Benny Sieu-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Celtics finalize Jrue Holiday, Anfernee Simons trade with Blazers, but there’s a catch</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-07-07T13:26:47-07:00">July 7th, 1:26pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-07-07T13:26:47-07:00">July 7th, 1:26pm</time><address><a>Daniel Donabedian</a>Daniel Donabedian is a beat reporter for ClutchPoints covering the Boston Celtics. He's also covered Villanova men's basketball and Big East basketball, building a strong reputation in the northeast.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Boston Celtics</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>In their first move of the offseason, the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/boston-celtics/3-reasons-celtics-won-jrue-holiday-anfernee-simons-trade">Boston Celtics traded veteran guard Jrue Holiday back to the Portland Trail Blazers</a> in exchange for guard Anfernee Simons and a pair of second-round picks. Two weeks later, the deal is official, but the terms aren’t the same.</p><p>The Blazers didn’t love Holiday’s medical records, per Aaron J. Fentress of The Oregonian, and sought to <a href="https://x.com/AaronJFentress/status/1942274803274240101" rel="noopener">diminish their initial trade package</a>. The Celtics will still receive Simons for Holiday, yet there will be no draft picks involved.</p><p>Holiday, who turned 35 in June, missed just 20 games last regular season. However, he played through a mallet finger injury for a fair chunk of the 2024-25 campaign and was <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/boston-celtics/celtics-news-jayson-tatum-jrue-holiday-hit-with-concerning-injury-updates-for-game-3-vs-magic">sidelined for three games in the first round of the playoffs</a> due to a hamstring issue.</p><p>It’s not clear what exact health problem the Blazers were troubled by. Either way, they still wanted Holiday, a two-time NBA champion who spent four days with them in 2023 before shipping off to Boston and immediately making his winning presence felt.</p><p>“A recent review of Holiday’s medicals revealed nothing substantial enough to warrant the trade being negated,” Fentress reported. “However, there was enough there to lead the Blazers to slightly alter the terms of the deal.”</p><p>While the Celtics are left without a pair of picks, they currently have a sizable stash of second-round selections that they can use as trade bait down the line. Since the C’s are <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/boston-celtics/celtics-news-jayson-tatum-7-word-message-achilles-injury-rehab">without star Jayson Tatum for the foreseeable future because of a devastating Achilles injury</a>, they look like a work in progress, and the front office will likely make another move in the coming weeks to address that feeling of incompletion.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/boston-celtics/the-move-boston-celtics-still-must-make-in-2025-nba-free-agency">Whether or not Simons is a part of Boston’s long-term plan remains to be seen</a>, yet there’s no denying his scoring ability. That could prove particularly useful for the 2025-26 season when the Celtics are down their leading scorer and no longer roster two other starters — Holiday and center Kristaps Porzingis — from their 2024 championship core.</p><p>Although Simons’ defense is lackluster, especially in comparison to Holiday, he’s shot over 35% from deep in five straight seasons and has averaged 15 points per game over the course of his seven-year career.</p><p>The 6-foot-3 guard is also nine years younger than Holiday and on an expiring deal, which works well given <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/boston-celtics/celtics-news-luke-kornet-luka-garza-moves-highlight-bostons-new-cap-reality">the Celtics’ current money situation</a>. That doesn’t mean Boston won’t miss Holiday, though, as its entire roster was ringless before he arrived in 2023 and helped them win that elusive title.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

2025-26 SEASON STATS
PTS	REB	AST	BLK	STL
14.8	2.4	1.6	0.2	1.0

2025-26 SEASON STATS
PTS	REB	AST	BLK	STL
14.8	2.4	1.6	0.2	1.0

Anfernee Simons news

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