After being the surefire favorite to win the Eastern Conference for several seasons, the Boston Celtics are in an unfamiliar spot to begin the 2025-26 campaign. Only one year after winning the NBA championship, the Celtics were forced to rebuild due to Jayson Tatum's devastating injury and their exorbitant salary structure. Without their superstar forward and with a far less talented roster, the Celtics are embarking on a journey many expect to be a transition season.
One exciting part of this journey is the uncertainty surrounding the team. For many players, there will be an evaluation phase, where GM Brad Stevens and head coach Joe Mazzulla will decide whether they are worth keeping around when Tatum is back and the team is ready to contend. This is the exact situation newcomer Anfernee Simons finds himself in.
Anfernee Simons Finds Himself on Chopping Block as Training Camp Nears
Simons was acquired by Boston as part of the Jrue Holiday trade. The Celtics' primary goal in that deal was to save money and move on from Holiday's long-term contract. They got Simons' expiring salary in return, giving them future flexibility. At the same time, they got a dynamic scoring combo guard who can be the on-ball creator and off-ball shooter for a team that desperately needs more offense.
The former Blazers guard can prove himself in his contract year and become a long-term part of this team. With Derrick White and Payton Pritchard locked into team-friendly multi-year contracts, however, whether the Celtics need Simons going forward is another question. Right now, they need all the scoring and creation that they can get without Tatum, but once he is back, Simons is less valuable as a complementary piece due to his defensive shortcomings.
That is why Simons will continue to be on the chopping block throughout the season. Until the trade deadline in February, the 26-year-old guard will constantly be in trade speculation. Because of his $27.6 million salary, Simons is not only an excellent trade chip for the Celtics to upgrade for the season, but he is also the best way for Boston to shed more salary.
If things go poorly for the Celtics to begin the season, they could easily get out of the first apron or go below the luxury tax threshold by moving on from Simons. This will lower the tax bill for new ownership and give the Celtics more financial flexibility going forward.
Since he is the most obvious trade candidate in Boston for all the aforementioned reasons, Simons will continue to be on the trade block regardless of how well he and the Celtics are playing. Until the trade deadline is behind us, Simons probably can't consider himself safe.