As the trade rumor mill churns with the NBA’s trade deadline less than a month away on February 5, Anfernee Simons has been a hot name. The 26-year-old and his $27.7 million expiring contract are Boston’s most intriguing trade chips, especially considering the situation Boston is in.
The Celtics sit roughly $12 million over the luxury tax line. If they finish the season above the tax, their payment would be around $40 million. Escaping the luxury tax entirely would also begin the process of resetting the harsh repeater penalties, if they chose to go that route.
Before the season, conversations about avoiding the luxury tax made a lot of sense, given expectations for the team. But now, almost halfway through the season, that discussion has shifted.
Boston sits as the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference. They have the NBA’s second-ranked offense (121.4), the league’s second-best net rating (7.1), the second-best point differential in the league—and the best in the East (+258) — along with the fourth-best win percentage in the NBA (.676) since their 0-3 start. They are on pace for 51 wins.
The list goes on and on, illustrating that the Celtics have the statistical profile of a legitimate contender, and one worth paying the tax for.
And Simons has played no small part in that success, particularly of late. Thursday night’s 119-114 win over the Miami Heat was the latest example.
On a night when the Celtics needed a spark, Simons delivered in a big way, exploding for 39 points off the bench to fuel a 19-point comeback. His 39-point performance off the bench ranks as the fourth-most in franchise history, and the most ever by a Celtic in a road game.
He scored 18 of those points in the fourth quarter alone, nearly outscoring the Heat singlehandedly (21-18). He also outscored Miami’s entire bench by 18 points on the night.
It highlighted another strong performance in what has been a dominant stretch for Simons, who is averaging 15.7 points (54.2% FG / 42.2% 3PT), 2.6 assists, and 2.7 rebounds over his last 15 games.
He is now averaging 14.1 points (44.1% FG / 40.5% 3PT), 2.6 assists, and 2.4 rebounds on the season. He has also shown steady improvement on the defensive end, which Joe Mazzulla once again commended following Thursday night’s outburst.
“The scoring is what he has done for most of his career. But to me, it’s just the way he defended,” Mazzulla said. “He had a blind-side block, had a couple of in-traffic rebounds, and was physical at the point of attack. Just a complete game.”
Simons is the first reserve to make 100 threes this season (106). He ranks third on the team in total points (564) and fourth in plus-minus (+169). His four games with 25+ points off the bench are tied for the league lead, and his seven 20-point games are the second-most in the NBA. Among reserves with at least 35 games played, Simons is second in offensive rating (120.9) and second in net rating (7.6).
He has embraced his role and committed to improving within it, and the results have shown, making the idea of trading him a difficult one for the front office, as he has become a key piece of this team. The Celtics are 6-1 when Simons scores 20+ points and 4-0 when he scores 25+. They are also 11-0 when he makes at least four three-pointers and 9-3 when he plays at least 27 minutes.
Subtracting Simons purely for financial reasons should be off the table, especially as he continues to thrive in his role. His unique skill set could also create a very intriguing pairing with Jayson Tatum when he returns, with his dynamic scoring and playmaking.
However, the Celtics still have other needs. As consistent as Neemias Queta has been, and as effective as Luka Garza has been since reentering the rotation, there remains a clear hole at center.
But there are other avenues to acquire a big man without giving up Simons. Besides, trading Simons would leave a significant hole in the guard depth.
It’s clear that Simons can fit in Boston in the short term — and potentially long term — if the team can retain him at the right price. It’s worth noting that the Celtics will retain his Bird Rights. For a team looking to return to championship contention, keeping him is almost certainly their best option right now and could also be a key piece of their future success.
The conversation around Simons should focus on retention, rather than trading him at the deadline.
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