NBA Notebook: What Anfernee Simons trades are still available for Celtics?

The worst-kept secret surrounding the Celtics this offseason remains their willingness to part ways with Anfernee Simons following his acquisition from the Trail Blazers in June, following the Jrue Holiday trade. As part of Boston's efforts to slash luxury tax and dodge the second apron, the latter they've done comfortably following the Georges Niang deal with Utah, the Celtics saved $4.7 million in salary going from Holiday's $32.4-million contract to Simons' $27.7-million expiring. They also shed $72 million in salary between 2026-2028 by moving off Holiday's three-year extension. 

While Boston's approach to shedding salary would always involve multiple steps, as the team showed going from Kristaps Porziņģis ($30.7M) to Niang ($8.2M) to $0, they proved unable to find a suitable trade for Simons following his acquisition. It's unclear how willing the Celtics are to carry Simons into the season if none emerges over the next month. He's been visible at Auerbach Center this summer, though he's made no public appearances with new teammates, hasn't attended a community event, did not go to Summer League as Niang had, and hasn't received an introductory press conference. That's despite arriving as the team's most intriguing addition this summer. 

Simons, for his limitations, led the Blazers in scoring with 19.3 points per game. He only turned 25 last year, and over the past three seasons, he converted 37.4% of his 8.8 three-point attempts per game. That's despite receiving the defensive attention as Portland's top offensive option on most nights, which would probably pull away from him toward Jaylen Brown, Derrick White and Payton Pritchard in Boston. It's worth at least assessing what Simons can provide the Celtics, who actually may have the greatest need for his skills compared to other available suitors, considering their offseason losses. 

"He’s 26 years old and he’s averaged 20 a game for three straight years," Stevens said in Las Vegas last month. "Which maybe people in New England or people in the East Coast don’t see as many Portland games late at night, right, that aren’t on League Pass. But I think that he’s a guy that can really score the ball. I think he’s one of the best shooters in the league. He is one of the best tough shot makers in the league. Just a really good player." 

Boston still sits $4 million over the first apron, which limits full mid-level exception usage, sign-and-trade, and salary matching flexibility. It's not as prohibitive as the second apron, and Simons' expiring contract would still allow the Celtics to comfortably slide below it next summer. The bigger question is where Boston wants to finish the season from a tax perspective, still $12.1 million above the luxury tax threshold as it stands. That would carry a $39.5 million tax bill, which doesn't become finalized until the end of the season. That gives Boston until the February trade deadline to assess where the team stands, Jayson Tatum's health, and make the best possible trades, financially and from a basketball standpoint. 

Bill Chisholm's ascension to governor of the Celtics last week became a significant development in all of this. All indications have pointed toward Chisholm's group already emerging as an involved and supportive partner to Boston's front office, urging them to do what's necessary to set up the next championship Celtics roster. It's also clear, whether for strategic or financial reasons, the team has embraced a significant step back this season, particularly in how they addressed the center rotation. There is some sense around the NBA that it's a position that can be filled sufficiently using the mid-level, as the Clippers did with Brook Lopez ($8.8M), but Boston will need a starter when Tatum returns and it's time to contend again. That's a need the Celtics could address by moving Simons. 

Stevens stressed not needing to utilize basketball assets to simply offload salary, so despite needing to attach two second-rounders to trade Niang, one of which came in the Porziņģis trade with Niang, there's at least hope Boston won't attach a first-rounder to trade Simons. The Celtics only own their 2032-2033 seconds alongside a pair from POR/MIN/NO/NYK and IND/MIA this year. The Blazers pulled a pair they initially included in the Simons trade after reportedly raising concerns about Holiday's physical. 

"There's value in those things, obviously, and you weigh those values, and the people at the top have to ultimately make those decisions," Stevens said in July when asked about dodging the tax. "But it's been pretty clear, and Bill has been pretty clear from the get go, that he wants to make sure that we're prioritizing basketball assets and the ability to retool this thing at the highest level that we can. And, again, the most important acquisition that we're going to be able to make in the next couple of years is getting Tatum out of the boot right? Like, we're not beating that one. So that's going to be the best thing that can happen for us. But everything else – we have most of our first round picks still, other than the '29 one ... we don't want to take away our chance to use those (picks) to become the best that we can be over the next few years." 

Here are some possible destinations for Simons as training camp approaches in roughly one month...

Brooklyn Nets: It's unclear how the Nets will resolve Cam Thomas' restricted free agency as one of numerous teams at a standstill in negotiations with their restricted free agents. The Nets, whether they retain Thomas or not, have no realistic path to competitiveness now or in the near future, and have continued to acquire future draft capital in return for taking on contracts from other teams into their substantial cap space. Brooklyn now has 17 players under standard contracts and a pair of two-way deals, leaving two available offseason roster spots. They have $20.4 million in cap space, less than would allow them to acquire Simons outright, but can reach $34.6 million by renouncing their cap holds, which would require a resolution with Thomas. It's possible this becomes the destination for Simons should the Celtics attach draft compensation and utilize their two standard roster spots to help Brooklyn address its roster spot crunch. It's impossible to imagine Boston receiving much value back in a Brooklyn trade unless one gets expanded. 

Chicago Bulls: Also in negotiations to address restricted free agency Josh Giddey's future. Sign-and-trades for Boston aren't feasible given that Giddey, Thomas and others would arrive on large contracts that would probably put them above or right up against the second apron. The Bulls' need for a guard is also questionable with Coby White, Ayo Dosunmu and Giddey already in the mix there. There could be room for a deal, however, if the Celtics see value in Chicago veteran Nikola Vučević as their transition center. He's also playing on an expiring deal worth $21.5-million, which would save Boston $6.2 million this year and pull them within striking distance of dodging the tax. The Bulls would need to see potential in Simons as a rotation player and someone that they can sign long-term for less than White, who's a free agent next summer. That doesn't sound like this Chicago front office, who only recently started making trades again after a hiatus since 2021. Simons is eligible for a three-year, $104 million extension until Jan. 7. He could sign for less.

Philadelphia 76ers: If you're sensing a theme here -- Philadelphia hasn't signed Quentin Grimes to a new contract in restricted free agency. They otherwise have Tyrese Maxey, Jared McCain, Kyle Lowry and Eric Gordon on the roster. They don't have a trade exception large enough to acquire Simons and would need to aggregate too many salaries to match his, so this deal would involve a Grimes sign-and-trade that would finish with the Celtics below the first apron, so either involving multiple players going to Philadelphia or Grimes accepting less than $24 million annually to join Boston. 

Denver Nuggets: An intriguing destination given their need for Jamal Murray insurance given his injury history across recent seasons. Denver also faces an uphill battle to match salaries, and would need to include a significant rotation player like Aaron Gordon, which would seem unlikely. 

Milwaukee Bucks: Already rostering an influx of guard depth, they have a roster crunch that could force them to consolidate multiple guards into one for strategic and cap management purposes. However, their only path to matching Simons' salary at the moment would involve trading Bobby Portis alongside multiple rotation guards, or Kyle Kuzma, whose long-term contract wouldn't appear attractive to Boston. The Bucks also can't attach draft picks as compensation with so many owed elsewhere. 

Utah Jazz: Already helped the Celtics out with the Niang salary dump and still have flexibility. Kyle Anderson and KJ Martin could be aggregated in a trade after Sept. 7, which is also the date after which Boston can pair Simons with other players in deals. That combination would save the Celtics roughly $10 million, though Anderson is guaranteed $9.7 million next season. If Boston only wants to bring back expiring salary, they could trade Simons for Jusuf Nurkić and save $8.3 million. 

Here's what else happened around the NBA this week...

Boston: Jayson Tatum spoke for the first time since tearing his Achilles in a social media post from the NBA, describing the grueling early weeks of recovery, exiting the boot and seeing gradual improvement since. ... Jaylen Brown's father Quenton M. Brown was arrested in Las Vegas on Thursday and accused of attempted murder in an alleged stabbing that took place during a parking lot argument. Brown's attorney said the stabbing was in self-defense after he was attacked. ... Bill Chisholm's group officially took control of the majority share of the Celtics this week, the team announced. ... Neemias Queta and Team Portugal begin EuroBasket on Wednesday against the Czech Republic at 7:45 a.m EST on Wednesday. They'll meet Nikola Jokić and Team Serbia on Friday at 2:15 p.m. ... Six first-year Celtics players and Joe Mazzulla visited Fenway Park for Monday's game. 

Brooklyn: The Nets reportedly had other plans to fill their cap space if the Heat didn't attach draft pick compensation to Haywood Highsmith in their salary dump trade earlier this month. Brooklyn remains the only team with significant cap space this offseason. 

Chicago: The Bulls will retire Derrick Rose's No. 1 jersey on Jan. 24 during their home game against the Celtics. Rose, the 2011 MVP, still the youngest ever at 22, will join Michael Jordan (No. 23), Scottie Pippen (33), Bob Love (10) and Jerry Sloan (4) in the United Center rafters. ... Nikola Vučević said in an interview before he begins EuroBasket that the Bulls' front office contacted him to tell him that ongoing trade rumors regarding his future with Chicago weren't true. Vučević specifically addresses the report that he could be bought out, saying that's a possibility for later, not now. Vučević is competing in his final EuroBasket with Montenegro. Josh Giddey and the Bulls haven't made any progress since Chicago offered the restricted free agent a four-year, $80 million offer earlier this summer. They still have no interest in trading the guard. 

Detroit: Malik Beasley is reportedly no longer the target of a federal gambling investigation, ESPN reported this week. The development will presumably allow the former Pistons star to resume free agency and perhaps even rejoin his former team. The Pistons pulled a three-year, $42 million offer at the start of free agency when the allegations emerged. Without Beasley's full Bird rights and having utilized their mid-level exception and other methods to acquire free agents, Detroit only maintains a $7.2 million starting salary to offer Beasley. The Nets, Hornets, Bulls, Pacers and Wizards could offer roughly the mid-level exception, while Miami, Oklahoma City and Sacramento have around $7-9 million available.

Golden State: Have not budged from their two-year, $45 million offer to restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga. The Warriors have also remained opposed to sign-and-trade offers that once had the Kings and Suns interested, Phoenix for as much as four-years, $90 million. Jake Fischer added that the Warriors and Suns nearly completed a Kuminga-Kevin Durant swap before the trade deadline when Durant urged Phoenix not to move him in-season. Meanwhile, Golden State has contacted the Lakers numerous times in recent years, expressing interest in acquiring LeBron James. Their salary situation makes a deal for James or Giannis Antetokounmpo difficult at present. The Warriors also called the Pelicans about Trey Murphy III this summer, who firmly rejected the ask. Rivals have continued to operate as if Al Horford, De'Anthony Melton and Gary Payton II will round out Golden State's roster once the Kuminga situation becomes resolved. Horford is widely expected to sign a two-year contract with a player option for the second season. 

Houston: Brian Windhorst reported that the Rockets and Kevin Durant have had discussions about a contract extension and there's belief they'll come to a deal. Durant is eligible for a maximum two-year, $122 million contract following this season. If they can't agree to one before the end of June, he'll enter unrestricted free agency. Alperen Şengün and Neemias Queta will meet in EuroBasket when Turkey faces Portugal on Aug. 30 at 2:15 p.m. EST. Rockets GM Rafael Stone described offseason conversations with the Bucks that didn't go far during a radio appearance this week. Jon Horst, Milwaukee's GM, made it clear that the Bucks wouldn't move the big man from Greece. 

Indiana: Tyrese Haliburton spoke for the first time since tearing his Achilles during Game 7 of the NBA Finals, sharing that he has no timetable to return from the injury after the Pacers ruled him out of the 2025-26 season. Haliburton hosted a basketball camp just outside Indianapolis, announcing that he's closing in on exiting the boot like Jayson Tatum. 

"I’m walking in my boot, getting closer to walking full time in my shoe, so that’s exciting,” he said. “Every couple of weeks, it’s kind of a new benchmark, a new achievement. So it’s the small wins right now. There are good days, bad days, so every day is kind of Groundhog Day. I’m just trying to get well.”

Lakers: A Kobe Bryant movie is being discussed by Warner Bros. Pictures. The film script reportedly explores the saga that brought Bryant to the Los Angles Lakers with the 13th pick in a draft night trade with the Charlotte Hornets. Bryant, who died in 2020, would have turned 47 on Saturday. 

Milwaukee: Signed Amir Coffey, the former Clippers wing, bringing their roster to 16 standard players. They have AJ Green and Andre Jackson Jr. playing on non-guaranteed or partially-guaranteed contracts, though both played important rotation roles for Milwaukee last season. Another trade could be in order to finalize this roster, as they're currently heavy on guards between Kevin Porter Jr., Gary Trent Jr., Ryan Rollins, Gary Harris and Cole Anthony alongside Green and Jackson. They only have Bobby Portis, Kyle Kuzma and now Coffey as experienced wings. Giannis Antetokounmpo will need to slide over to the four alongside Myles Turner at the five more often this season, regardless. 

Minnesota: New owners Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez reportedly oversaw approximately 40 layoffs in what the organization described as operational restructuring, according to Sports Business Journal. Layoffs involved business operations, human resources, marketing, sales and creative departments. They also let go of the team's director of communications. This overhaul is typical of many ownership changes as new leadership seeks to make their imprint, though it's not apparent the same will happen in Boston, as Bill Chisholm's transition messaging has stressed that they'll maintain the basketball operations and business departments led by Brad Stevens and Rich Gotham. The Wolves do not plan to make similar changes to their basketball front office. 

New York: A potential destination for Malik Beasley, according to Ian Begley, though they're extremely limited in what they can offer him, making them a long shot. The Knicks have assessed whether or not Beasley will receive a suspension from the NBA for whatever drew an investigation into him regarding  gambling activity around his statistical output. New York is also connected to Ben Simmons, who's reportedly drawn interest from the Kings and Celtics. Simmons may be holding out to see what other teams become interested. 

Oklahoma City: Thunder rookie Nikola Topić will not participate in EuroBasket after he failed to make the Serbian national team roster. The 12-man lineup includes Nikola Jokić, Nikola Jović, Bogdan Bogdanović and Vasilije Micić. Topić returned from ACL surgery to participate in Summer League for the Thunder, averaging 10.8 PPG, 5.8 RPG and 1.8 SPG on 33.3% shooting (20.8% 3PT). He's considered an intriguing point guard prospect and addition to the NBA champions after he sat out the entire 2024-25 season. Oklahoma City selected him 12th overall last summer with Houston's pick, which they received from the Russell Westbrook trade in 2019. 

Phoenix: Suns owner Mat Ishbia outlined the Suns' direction in a radio appearance, stressing that Phoenix has acquired ascending, rather than descending players. He highlighted Ryan Dunn's shown promise from year one, while Jalen Green and Mark Williams join Devin Booker as foundational players following Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal's offseason exits. Phoenix has four other players younger than 26, including rookies Khaman Maluach, Rasheer Fleming and Koby Brea, alongside Oso Ighodaro, who should play more into year two. The Suns fell from first to seventh in payroll this summer after spending the most money in the NBA by far last year to miss the postseason entirely.

“We have players that wanna be here, that are bought into the Phoenix Suns’ culture," Ishbia said. "I can take the criticism for not defining (that culture) well enough when I bought the team, but it is defined very clearly now." 

Portland: Shawn Kemp, the Hall of Famer who played for Seattle, Cleveland, Portland and Orlando, received 30 days of electronic home monitoring following a Washington state mall parking lot shooting. ... Following his trade from Portland to Boston, the Celtics will reportedly continue to listen to trade calls regarding Anfernee Simons, per Jake Fischer. 

Sacramento: Reportedly the team most interested in free agent Russell Westbrook, as they've tried to find a new home for Malik Monk, who Westbrook would replace as their sixth man behind free agent acquisition Dennis Schröder. Westbrook has found limited interest in free agency following an up-and-down season with the Nuggets, who moved on.

San Antonio: Kristaps Porziņģis told an overseas outlet that he expected to land with the Spurs in a trade from the Celtics before Boston sent him to Atlanta. He called the Hawks emerging a nice surprise after hearing from his agent that he'd likely be dealt. San Antonio apparently pivoted to signing Luke Kornet after falling short in their pursuit of Porziņģis. Porziņģis had previously spoken highly of San Antonio star Victor Wembanyama, who's entered the NBA with similar hype, skill set and physique as Porziņģis. Wembanyama told a French publication that he hopes to spend his whole career with the Spurs, despite that becoming increasingly rare. 

Toronto: General manager Bobby Webster, extended by the Raptors last week, will oversee the team's basketball operations as Toronto will not hire a new president to succeed the fired Masai Ujiri. Webster joined Ujiri when the Raptors hired him in 2013 from the league office, and he's been around the NBA for 21 years. 

"Going through this comprehensive process this summer and meeting with external candidates played a critical role in arriving at this decision as it made clear that we already have the right person leading the Raptors in-house," the team said in a statement. "When we weighed the many considerations, including roster construction, team culture and competitive landscape, it made perfect sense to officially hand the team to Bobby and give him the time and support to allow his plan to develop."

Utah: It'll be interesting to watch Lauri Markkanen in EuroBasket competing for Finland after his pair of 40-point performances in exhibition play leading up to the tournament. Markkanen extended with the Jazz for five years, $238 million last summer, ending speculation about his future with the team, but Utah has done little since to pivot toward winning. That at least raises the question over whether Markkanen will see out his full contract with the team. He played only 47 games last season after the Jazz quickly fell out of contention, including the final 13 games. 

Washington: NBA star John Wall retired after 11 seasons, last playing in 2023 for the Clippers. Wall had continued to pursue a comeback but decided to pivot toward a broadcast career at 34. A North Carolina native, he emerged as one of basketball's biggest stars in 2010 when the Wizards selected him No. 1 overall out of Kentucky, joined by a viral hit song. He made five all-star teams between 2014-2018, made the All-NBA Third Team in 2017 and alongside Bradley Beal, led one of the most compelling Wizards teams in franchise history. They fell short, losing in seven games to Isaiah Thomas and the Celtics despite forcing the decisive game with perhaps his most iconic shot at home. During the 2018-19 season, after passing Wes Unseld for third on the Wizards' all-time scoring list, he suffered a season-ending left heel injury, an infection following surgery and tore his Achilles in the same foot after slipping at home. In 2020, following the Bubble, Washington traded Wall alongside a first-round pick for Russell Westbrook, marking the beginning of the end of his career as he struggled to come back from the injuries. He and the Rockets parted ways before 2021-22, with Houston later buying him out before a 34-game stint with the Clippers in 2022-23 yielded mixed results.