Brian Windhorst says the Boston Celtics are still ‘actively’ trying to trade Anfernee Simons

During the 2025 playoffs, All-NBA PF Jayson Tatum tore his Achilles. That was a massive loss for Boston, both in the present and for their 2025-26 season. 

Barring a major recovery. Tatum is expected to miss most, if not all, of next year. Without Tatum, the Celtics have made several changes ahead of 2025-26. This offseason, the team has traded Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis. In the deal for Holiday, Boston acquired SG Anfernee Simons from Portland. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst noted that the Celtics are still “actively” trying to trade Simons.

Will Anfernee Simons play for the Celtics in 2025-26?

Celtics Continue To Explore Trading Anfernee Simons https://t.co/D81eL8gcXJ

— RealGM (@RealGM) July 9, 2025

With the 24th pick in the 2018 NBA draft, Anfernee Simons was selected by the Trail Blazers. Simons did not attend college and played in a postgraduate year at IMG Academy in Florida. It took a few seasons for Simons to find his groove, but he exploded on the scene in 2021-22. After averaging 7.8 points per game the year prior, Simons averaged 17.3 that season. The SG also made 30 starts for Portland in 2021-22. At the time, his points per game and starts were a new personal best.

Over the next three seasons, Simons would start all 178 games he appeared in. Seventy games played and started in 2024-25 were a new career-high for the 26-year-old. This offseason, Anfernee Simons was traded to the Celtics in exchange for veteran Jrue Holiday. Despite landing in Boston, NBA insiders believe Simons could be on the move again this offseason.

Weird that the Celtics never did a press conference welcoming Anfernee Simons to the team. pic.twitter.com/WXVvgNYAXr

— Bill Simmons (@BillSimmons) July 7, 2025

ESPN’s Brian Windhorst discussed the idea of Boston trading Anfernee Simons on the Hoop Collective Podcast. He noted that other teams around the league have told him that the Celtics are still “actively” trying to trade Simons. Windhorst was skeptical whether Boston could make a deal happen this offseason. Anfernee Simons is owed $27.7 million next season. However, that is an expiring contract.

The Celtics are still roughly $20 million over the salary cap for the 2025-26 season. That’s after they parted ways with the contracts of Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis. It would be ideal for Boston to get below the luxury tax in a season where they do not have Jayson Tatum. Boston would be wasting money. They need Tatum’s production if they want to make another deep run and win a championship. Sadly, that will not happen in 2025-26. Will Anfernee Simons’ $27.7 million contract be traded by the Celtics?