NBA free agency kicked off with a whimper Monday. For Celtics fans, it was a somber affair. Hopes of Luke Kornet rejoining the team were dashed when Kornet signed a 4-year deal with the Spurs, and signs are pointing towards Al Horford will be joining the Golden State Warriors. The Celtics' frontcourt situation, which was already pretty bleak, turned into a black hole on the roster.
The Celtics did add a center in Luka Garza, and with more playing time, he may turn into a gem, but banking on a front line of Xavier Tillman, Luka Garza, Neemias Queta, and Amari Williams is still quite a drop off from Al Horford and Kristaps Porzingis. Looking at the rest of the free agent market doesn’t necessarily inspire hope.
Even if the Celtics found another player to sign, it doesn’t make a ton of sense. The Celtics just got under the second apron and are right up against it, so any signings would have to take place after a salary dump. Fans shouldn’t expect any Celtics-related “ShamsBombs” in the coming days.
Boston has stated that they are committed to building around Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Derrick White, so it can be inferred that all other options are on the table in terms of trades. The Celtics have a reliable backcourt in White and Payton Pritchard, and some young pieces in Baylor Scheierman, JD Davison, and Hugo Gonzalez. That means newly acquired Anfernee Simons could be expendable.
Anfernee Simons' Time on the Celtics Could Be Short-Lived
The Celtics are prioritizing roster flexibility this offseason. They appear to be prioritizing contracts between $3-$10 million annually, with the exceptions being Tatum, Brown, and White. The only person on the roster with a value outside of that range is Simons.
With the goal of being flexible and out of the second apron (and possibly moving below the 1st apron), moving Simons is a must. Trading Simons could bring back two or three players in the $7-10 million range with the right trade. In looking at center options in that range, it’s a lot of previous lottery picks on rookie contracts (Dereck Lively II, Zach Edey, Chet Holmgren, Donovan Clingan) or low cost rotational pieces like Jock Landale and Goga Bitadze. Fans hoping for a savior at center should temper their expectations.
If the Celtics are looking to find more interior help this offseason, moving on from Simons is the best chance at bringing back real assets. Teams like the Rockets and Jazz have frontcourt depth they could part with if they wished. The Celtics would be wise to see if there’s interest in Simons, to continue to build out low-cost assets, and to continue working the phones during the season to find their next big man.