Anfernee Simons’ role with the Boston Celtics has yet to be determined. Ever since the Portland Trail Blazers dealt him to Boston in exchange for Jrue Holiday, fans have wondered whether or not he’ll be starting.
For him, contributing to the Celtics’ winning culture is what’s most exciting.
“I was super excited for the opportunity to come here and join a culture that's already been set,” Simons explained at Monday’s Media Day.
Starter or sixth man, one thing is certain: it’s #DifferentHere.
Celtics could give Anfernee Simons chance to shine
Simons is no longer going to have to carry the burden of being his team’s No. 1 scoring option every night. He now has the luxury of playing alongside an established All-NBA-level scorer in Jaylen Brown (and Jayson Tatum if he returns this season, not to mention Derrick White and Payton Pritchard.
“I think I learned a lot from, you know, being a, I guess you could say, number one option on a team,” Simons said of his role with the Blazers. “Whether, you know, I was dealing with the best defenders guarding me each and every game, different defensive coverages getting double-teamed or blitzed, or whatever you want to call it. I learned a lot from dealing with that.”
Despite the extra defensive attention, Simons still thrived while serving as Portland’s top scorer for the better part of four seasons. He averaged 19.9 points and 4.5 assists per game while shooting 43.6% from the field and 38.1% from beyond the arc during that span.
He’ll still have plenty of opportunities to score with the Cs, though he’s no longer “the guy.” He may even have more, considering that defenses won’t be able to focus on him as much with players like Brown, White, and Pritchard playing alongside him.
“Obviously, coming here, you know, it might still happen,” he said of the defensive pressure he saw in Portland. “But, we got Jaylen Brown here who’s taking on that responsibility. So I'm pretty excited about being able to contribute in a different way.”
Though expectations in Boston are low in comparison to what they’ve been for the past several years, this is probably still the best team Simons has been on since 2021, the last time one of his Portland teams made the playoffs.
When things are going well (or are expected to), it becomes much easier to do what’s best for the team. Boston’s winning culture has clearly impacted Simons’ mindset as the season approaches.
He’s even excited for the opportunity to grow as a defender, which is the part of his game that critics highlight the most.
“It’s just a matter of if I want to do it or not,” he explained. “It's really that simple. Coming into a culture like this, you have to be able to adapt… And [Joe Mazzulla] always says that [I’m] not as bad as people think [I am]. So that's good to hear.”
There’s also a layer to this where Simons naturally has more energy to give on the defensive side of the ball if he’s not being asked to fuel his team’s entire offense. This upcoming season could help redefine how people see him as a player.