Celtics Shopping Anfernee Simons After Jrue Holiday Trade

The Boston Celtics are reportedly shopping guard Anfernee Simons after acquiring him in a trade that sent veteran guard Jrue Holiday to the Portland Trail Blazers this offseason.

Celtics Are Listening To Trade Offers For Anfernee Simons

Speaking Wednesday on his Hoop Collective podcast, ESPN NBA insider Brian Windhorst said the Celtics are listening to trade offers for their recent acquisition.

“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].”

The Golden State Warriors, Dallas Mavericks, and New Orleans Pelicans were previously linked as interested teams in Simons before Portland finalized the deal with Boston.

Simons is about to enter his eighth NBA season. The 26-year-old is in the final season of the four-year, $100 million contract he signed with the Trail Blazers in 2022, per Spotrac.

Simons Played Seven Seasons With Trail Blazers

The 6-foot-3 Simons was selected 24th overall by Portland in the 2018 NBA draft. He has averaged 15 points, 2.5 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 26.8 minutes in 389 career regular-season games (213 starts) with the Blazers.

Staying healthy has been an issue for the Florida native, as he has only reached the 70-game mark twice in his career and has never played in more than 70 games in a single season.

Simons dealt with injuries during the 2023-24 season and only played in 46 games. Last season, however, he matched his career high with 70 appearances, averaging 19.3 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 4.8 assists.

Hours after Boston moved Holiday to the Blazers last month, the Celtics sent Kristaps Porzingis to the Atlanta Hawks as part of a three-team trade.

Celtics Dropped Below Second Apron With Holiday, Porzingis Trades

Boston saved an estimated $260 million in luxury tax with the Holiday and Porzingis moves and could reduce its tax bill further with another deal involving Simons.

Celtics general manager Brad Stevens said this week that his “expectations are always the same: Compete like hell to win the next game,” and plan for the future.

“That will always be the way we try to put our best foot forward. We have new guys and some guys who will have to take on extra in their roles,” he added.

“But we believe in the guys who have been in the building and are looking forward getting the guys who haven’t, and all of them working together to try to create a team that functions well together and plays hard as hell.”