Asking an NBA player about being in trade rumors can get interesting. It’s the toughest part of NBA life, and it can wear heavily on some guys, so just about any kind of reaction to that question can be expected.
Except a happy smile.
But that's what Anfernee Simons flashed after that question was posed to him.
Anfernee Simons ALL SMILES when asked about how he deals with being in trade rumors 🤣
— Celtics on CLNS (@CelticsCLNS) January 10, 2026
"Yea man, It's the NBA i been in trade rumors since my 3rd year. Every other week it's something new. It's just apart of the NBA and you just gotta be where your feet are."
-@CLNSMedia |… pic.twitter.com/P5yYCowUab
“Yeah, man, that’s the NBA,” he said after helping the Celtics beat the Raptors on Friday night. “I’ve been in trade rumors since my third year, every other week it seemed like. So it’s just a part of the NBA and you’ve just got to be where your feet are.”
Who knows what will happen between now and the February 5 trade deadline, but for now, his feet are gliding across the parquet in Boston, 20 to 25 minutes at a time on most nights. Most often, those feet are about 24 feet away from where the ball is supposed to go, launching Simons at a slight angle that kicks them forward and into a defender’s space. The top half of the body is finishing the job the feet started, taking advantage of the space and flicking bombs into the net 41% of the time.
Simons has turned a corner for the Celtics, scoring at least 13 points off the bench in seven straight games, shooting no worse than 54.5% in his last five. He’s hit multiple 3-pointers in nine straight games, and at least three in his last six. The Boston Celtics now own the best offensive rating in the league this season, and Simons is a big reason why.
“Anfernee’s gotten better since he first walked into the practice facility until now,” Jaylen Brown said. “I think he's a better basketball player in a matter of a few months. He competes on the defensive end. He understands the game a little bit better as well, like how to play winning basketball. And he's a really talented player. He's probably more talented than the role he’s in right now. But he comes out, he has the right mindset, he contributes to winning every single night, which I respect the hell out of.”
The role he has now is new to him, but he’s