The Celtics may have lost a defensive anchor in Jrue Holiday, but they gained something just as valuable in return. A dynamic, young scorer in Anfernee Simons who fits seamlessly into their offensive identity.
With Jayson Tatum likely sidelined for the entirety of next year, Simons gives Boston a much-needed boost in shot creation and floor spacing, two areas that are vital to Joe Mazzulla’s 3-point-heavy system.
While there are fair questions about how Simons will hold up defensively, it’s clear the Celtics didn’t just make a cost-cutting move, but a calculated one.
Here’s what people around the league are grading the trade:
The Athletic
Zach Harper: “Simons can help replace some of the lost scoring. He’s a very talented scorer and an underrated playmaker. He’s not quite a lead guard, but he does a good job of taking care of the ball, moving it and stretching the floor. He’s a career 38.1 percent 3-point shooter, and over half of his shot attempts last season came from 3-point range. That fits in very well with the Celtics’ brand of offense that puts up a ton of 3-pointers and tries to bury your defense with them. Simons is not shy to let it fly.
The question will be whether he fits defensively. He’s not nearly the defender Holiday is, even compared to last season’s slowed-down version of the six-time All-Defense selection, who battled injuries. That will be Joe Mazzulla’s challenge: Getting Simons to move as necessary for Celtics guards to maintain teamwide intensity. Even though we are seeing the Celtics shed some salary, it doesn’t mean they’re going to be bad. They’ll still compete and be a playoff team. They just won’t look like a 60-win monster.” Grade: B
ESPN
Kevin Pelton: “Simons should help Boston replace Tatum’s penchant for making 3s off the dribble. His 135 unassisted 3s ranked fourth in the NBA last season, according to GeniusIQ tracking. No other Celtics player made more than 51. Simons was tied for 14th in the league with a career-high 84 unassisted 3s, hitting pull-up 3s at a 35% clipper NBA Advanced Stats -- slightly better than Tatum’s 32% accuracy.
Between Simons, White and Sixth Man award winnerPayton Pritchard, Boston should be able to put two guards on the court who are dangerous shooters and capable ball handlers at all times. While Simons may not entirely compensate for Tatum’s absence, he should at least give the Celtics a reliable offensive building block.” Grade: B-
CBS Sports
Sam Quinn: “Let’s start with a fairly basic question: how good is Jrue Holiday, still? Next year will be his age-35 season. He just averaged 11.1 points per game, his fewest since his rookie year, and he did that in Boston, with nearly perfect spacing to make his life easier. It was the first season he missed out on an All-Defense selection since he left New Orleans in 2020. While he remains an effective defender, he is probably best-suited to guarding wings at this point. Asking him to keep up with the quickest guards in theNBA today is probably a tall order, and that’s going to get harder as he ages.” Grade: A
Bleacher Report
Andy Bailey: “Simons is on an expiring contract, which means it could be easier to flip him in a subsequent deal. It also means that if things don’t go well and the Celtics can’t move their new guard, they can just let him walk in free agency.
If he buys into Boston’s team- and defense-first culture, the Celtics may have just turned the clock back on that roster spot by nine years.” Grade: A
Sporting News
Billy Heyen: “There’s nothing bad about this deal for the Celtics. Nothing… With Jayson Tatum out for a year with his torn Achilles, Simons can be the second scoring option behind Jaylen Brown. When Tatum is back, the floor spacing and shot creation abilities will be absolutely off the charts. This is a home run for Boston. No one thought Holiday could net an in-the-prime star like this. Somehow, Boston even got two picks in the deal, too.
Brad Stevens is a wizard, and the Celtics continue to be a force to be reckoned with.” Grade: A+