Boston Celtics are not ruling out trading Anfernee Simons for a center..
2026-02-04 02:15
The Athletic prominent beat reporter Jay King, reported on Tuesday that the Boston Celtics are not ruling out trading shooting guard Anfernee Simons for a center.
According to King, the Celtics may be looking to bolster their frontcourt depth in the short term due to head coach Joe Mazzulla's lack of trust in the team's veterans at that position.
Mazulla's distrust of his veterans is evident in his recent game against the Brooklyn Nets, where he opted to give a chance to two-man rookie Amari Williams rather than use Chris Boucher and Xavier Tillman to secure a win after Neemias Queta and Luka Garza were ejected for fouls.
However, because Williams did not sign a standard contract with the team, he would be unavailable for the Celtics in the playoffs should Queta and Garza get injured. Therefore, the Celtics will have to find another center to prevent this situation.
It is reported that the Celtics have identified several potential trade targets, many of whom have contracts expiring.
Barring any unforeseen circumstances, the Celtics might be trading Simons to the Chicago Bulls.
Celtics plans to trade Simons plus a second-round draft pick to the Bulls for 35-year-old Montenegrin veteran Nikola Vučević.
Milwaukee Bucks star Myles Turner is also a potential candidate, but due to his relatively expensive contract, the Celtics may seek other options.
Other players, such as Day'Ron Sharpe of the Brooklyn Nets, who have demonstrated outstanding rebounding ability this season but are less well-known, may also be considered.
It's worth mentioning that Simons's potential departure would undoubtedly weaken Boston Celtics' offensive capabilities given his great form this season.
However, Simons's departure could reduce the team's salary cap, which isn't necessarily a bad thing.
Taking the Simons-Vučević trade as an example, the Celtics saved over $20 million in luxury tax by trading Simons' expiring $27 million contract for Vučević's expiring $21 million contract.
This also effectively addressed their weakness at the center position.
Anfernee Simons, 26, joined the Celtics in July 2025.
This season, Simons has played 49 games for the Celtics, averaging 14.2 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game, with a 44% field goal percentage.
Currently, the Celtics have a 31-18 record, led by a backcourt core of Jaylen Brown, Derrick White, and Payton Pritchard, tied for second in the NBA Eastern Conference with the New York Knicks.
Image source: Internet / The Athletic / NBA
