Celtics’ Anfernee Simons Drawing Interest From 3 NBA Teams

Anfernee Simons‘ tenure with the Boston Celtics may be short-lived. The franchise has reportedly been shopping the offensive-minded guard all summer.

Simons joined the Celtics as part of the trade that sent Jrue Holiday to the Portland Trail Blazers. He’s currently in the final year of his contract and will be an unrestricted free agent next summer. According to Sam Amico of HoopsWire, all three teams, the Philadelphia 76ers, Milwaukee Bucks and Denver Nuggets all have interest in acquiring Simons.

“The Sixers are looking to bounce back from a lost year after injuries to Joel Embiid and Paul George,” Amico reported. “You could make a strong case for them as the league’s biggest flop in 2024-25… They (the Denver Nuggets) are said to be looking for backcourt help behind starters Jamal Murray and Christian Braun — but given their salary constraints, it would take a minor miracle to pull off another deal…Sources said the Bucks could be another team that will make a run at Simons before training camp.”

Simons, 26, played in 70 games for Portland last season. He averaged 19.3 points, 2.7 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game, shooting 42.6% from the field and 36.3% from deep.

Simons’ Defense is an Issue

There’s no doubt that Simons is a talented scorer. He’s also proven himself to be a reliable shot-creator and playmaker. However, his limitations on the defensive end will likely be a concern for Joe Mazzulla.

When the Celtics won a championship in 2024, the roster was built around two-way talent. Everyone could impact the floor on both sides of the ball. Mazzulla will undoubtedly want to re-create that style of play as the franchise retools the current roster.

Therefore, Simons’ limitations could cost him a spot with the Celtics long-term. It’s unlikely he will improve enough to convince Brad Stevens and the front office to reach out with a contract extension.

Celtics Could Help Simons Improve

When speaking with Sean Deveney of Heavy on Sports, an anonymous GM recently explained how Simons could prove his doubters wrong.

“He is going to a team with a different coaching staff, a different front office, a whole different system of teaching,” the GM said. “Sometimes a situation changes and the light bulb goes on for a guy. That could be the case with him (Simons). He is still  a young guy, and if he is willing to learn, he could come out a better player. So you wait to trade him to see if that happens.”

Simons is set to earn $27,678,571 this season. Stevens has spent the summer trimming the Celtics’ current payroll. Therefore, Simons must show some significant upside to convince the Celtics front office to make a new contract offer.

Fortunately for Simons, if he’s still with the franchise at the start of the upcoming season, he will likely have a significant role in the offense. That should provide him the perfect platform to showcase his skills. However, unless he displays a drastically improved skill set on defense, he may find himself fighting an uphill battle on a team that prides itself on two-way production.