Celtics weigh trading Anfernee Simons to trim payroll

The Boston Celtics are actively shopping guard Anfernee Simons less than a month after acquiring him in the trade that sent Jrue Holiday to Portland, with several contenders said to be monitoring his availability even as salary constraints and differing evaluations complicate any deal. Simons, 26, is owed roughly $27.6 million for the 2025-26 season on an expiring contract and averaged 19.3 points per game last season, making him both a valuable scoring addition and a challenging salary fit for many teams.

Team officials and league sources say Boston’s primary motivation is financial flexibility. The Celtics have moved aggressively this summer to reduce luxury tax exposure and remain intent on further trimming payroll, with Simons viewed as a prime asset to accomplish that. Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens has praised Simons’ scoring, calling his shooting and ability to make difficult shots “pretty elite,” but front office personnel acknowledge that an expiring, midlevel contract is especially useful in trade construction.

Interest has been reported from multiple playoff contenders, with rival teams in the Eastern and Western conferences keeping tabs. At...