Anferenee Simons’ name has been a staple in trade rumors ever since he was dealt to the Boston Celtics as part of the Jrue Holiday trade back in June. The former Portland Trail Blazers guard doesn’t seem to be a part of Boston’s long-term plans, considering how just about every NBA Insider has painted him as a prime trade candidate.
Alas, here we are in late August, and Simons is still a part of the Celtics’ roster. It just doesn’t seem like teams are eager to trade for his expiring $27 million salary -- that is unless you buy the latest rumors.
Over the weekend, Hoops Wire’s Sam Amico suggested that both the Philadelphia 76ers and Denver Nuggets were teams who have expressed interest in the 26-year-old.
This rumor makes negative sense
Could this be true? Absolutely not.
From Boston’s perspective, trading Simons would only be for the purpose of further shedding salary to dive below the luxury tax threshold. Meanwhile, neither Philly nor Denver has the cap space to straight-up absorb Simons’ salary. They wouldn’t even be able to facilitate a trade that enables Boston to take back just $17 million, the number needed for them to avoid the tax next season.
Even if they could, it doesn’t make a ton of sense for either franchise to give up assets for Simons.
It would’ve made some sense for Denver earlier this summer, before they traded Michael Porter Jr. to the Brooklyn Nets for Cam Johnson. Porter Jr’s contract isn’t exactly team-friendly, and the Nuggets might’ve liked to add some extra bench scoring behind Jamal Murray. But now that they’ve rid themselves of MPJ’s hefty deal, they’d have no realistic route to match the finances in any deal for Simons.
Denver doesn’t make sense, but Philly REALLY doesn’t make sense. Not only do they not have the cap space to make a Simons deal beneficial, but they don’t have the minutes either. Why would they give up assets to essentially take playing time away from Tyrese Maxey, Jared McCain, and rookie VJ Edgecombe?
Sure, their fanbase might buy into the idea if it rid them of Paul George’s albatross contract, but then the move would completely mitigate the salary shedding Boston has done this summer.
“Oh, we just offloaded two key contributors (Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis) to 60+ win teams to dive beneath the second apron? Sure, give us Paul George! We’ll gladly jump right back up above the apron!” -- the Brad Stevens of this make-believe alternate timeline.
This is simply a reminder to Celtics fans. Stay safe on the internet during the late-summer months. It's a dangerous play in the NBA-sphere.