While star guards such as Ja Morant, LaMelo Ball, and Trae Young have headlined this season's trade market, another guard just a tier below those players who should also be considered a candidate is Anfernee Simons.
Michael Scotto of HoopsHype named Simons as a player to keep an eye on, as he could be a roster casualty if the Boston Celtics want to go below the luxury tax.
"The Celtics are under no pressure to reduce their current luxury tax bill, which they've budgeted for, but wouldn't mind going below the tax for the right deal, league sources told HoopsHype. Getting below the luxury tax entirely could conceivably be achieved by trading guard Anfernee Simons or shedding the salaries of Sam Hauser and another minimum-salary player," Scotto reports.
The Celtics will trade Anfernee Simons soon
Boston was active this past offseason, trading Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis to duck the second apron. The current financial motivation behind trading Simons isn't as pressing as those summer trades, but it still makes perfect sense for them to explore options.
Simons' fit in Boston has been murky to start the season, averaging just 13.9 points, 2.7 assists, and 2.3 rebounds in 24.2 minutes per game. Defensively, he's undersized and doesn't align with the "Mazzulla ball" vision under head coach Joe Mazzulla. Offensively, he ranks among the best catch-and-shoot specialists in the league, but has struggled with inconsistent play; that's partly due to the way Boston has used him off the bench, as Simons no longer has as many opportunities to find his rhythm as he did in Portland.
With a strong backcourt duo already established in Derrick White and Payton Pritchard, Simons is expendable. It's clear the Celtics don't prioritize him, and with his $27.7 million contract set to expire after the season, everyone saw this trade update coming from a mile away.
Boston reportedly won't attach first-round draft capital to offload Simons, which was also to be expected considering he's not a negative asset on a long-term deal. But even with that being the case, it wouldn't be surprising if the Celtics still successfully find a trade partner by February.
Scotto notes the Brooklyn Nets and Milwaukee Bucks as two teams that had previously expressed interest in Simons. And with his combo guard skillset and floor spacing ability, Simons could provide value just about anywhere -- that is, if that team is willing to pay him.