NBA rumors: The only scenario Celtics trade Anfernee Simons

Story by

Steve Silverman, ClutchPoints

Thu, Jan 15, 2026 ·

2 min read

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The Boston Celtics are contenders again this season. Not much was expected this season after it appeared they would be without superstar Jayson Tatum throughout the season after he tore his Achilles in last year’s playoff series against the New York Knicks , but now it appears he could be back in February or March.

Even playing without Tatum, the Celtics have overachieved to a degree. They have a 24-15 record and find themselves with the third-best record in the Eastern Conference following the first-place Detroit Pistons (28-10) and the New York Knicks (25-15).

The Celtics may want to stand pat with their current roster until Tatum can come back and join fellow superstar Jaylen Brown as well as Derek White and Payton Pritchard . However, if they can get some legitimate talent for the front court, they may be willing to trade guard Anfernee Simons .

They are not going to just part with Simons, because he is having excellent year for head coach Joe Mazzulla’s team. The 26-year-old is in his 7th year in the league and his game appears to have matured. Simons is averaging 13.5 points, 2.5 assists and 2.3 rebounds per game.

According to Clutch Points NBA Insider Brett Siegel, the Celtics would need to get a player like big man Daniel Gafford of the Dallas Mavericks or center Ivica Zubac of the Los Angeles Clippers if they were going to move Simons. A deal for Zubac may have been more likely earlier in the season, but he is turning things around and improving his play in recent games.

Gafford is averaging 7.8 points and 6.5 rebounds per game and would give the Celtics more depth in the middle of the front line.