Brad Stevens, Boston Celtics
Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images
Brad Stevens, Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics sit near the top of the Eastern Conference, winning consistently despite the continued absence of Jayson Tatum. They did not enter this season hunting for upgrades.
The plan was flexibility. Financial breathing room. A bridge year built around patience rather than pressure. But success has a way of accelerating conversations.
And as the February deadline approaches, trade ideas have begun to surface.
One of them comes from ESPN’s Zach Kram, and it centers on a familiar financial lever.
The Trade Idea That Keeps Coming Up
In a recent deadline breakdown, ESPN insiders laid out Boston’s situation in practical terms.
The Celtics are competitive enough to avoid a pure salary dump. But if they decide to reset their tax position, Anfernee Simons remains their most realistic lever. Moving him would create flexibility without forcing an immediate step back on the floor.
That framework has naturally led to secondary ideas, including the possibility of filling Simons’ rotation spot with a lower-cost guard such as Ayo Dosunmu.
From a fit standpoint, the appeal is clear. Dosunmu brings pace, point-of-attack defense, and the ability to function within a structured system. He does not need the ball to be effective and can complement lineups without reshaping them. In isolation, that profile aligns with many of the traits Boston values.
The question is not whether Dosunmu helps a team.
It is whether moving on from a productive Simons to reach that outcome makes sense right now.
Marc D'Amico
Anfernee Simons – Last 5 Games
17.8 PPG 46% FG 51% 3FG
Why Moving Simons Carries Real Risk for the Celtics
The biggest problem with this idea is timing.
Simons is no longer theoretical value. He is producing.
After an uneven adjustment early in the season, Simons has settled into Boston’s ecosystem. His role has changed dramatically from his Portland days, yet his impact has grown in ways that matter to winning teams.
Simons’ scoring comes in rhythm rather than volume. His off-ball shooting has become a weapon. And his defensive engagement, once a question mark, has improved within Boston’s schemes.
More importantly, Simons has embraced the role Boston needs him to play.
He is not chasing shots. He is not pressing for minutes. And he has consistently prioritized fit and flow, providing scoring bursts when needed and staying within structure when they are not.
That adaptability has helped stabilize bench units and swing stretches of games, even when his box score numbers do not jump off the page.
Right now, Simons is doing exactly what a contending team asks of a high-usage guard transitioning into a supporting role.
That matters.
Tomek Kordylewski
Shout-out to Anfernee Simons 🔥🔥🔥
The Anferno with season-high 27 points on 8-14 3PT shooting:
Why Patience Has Been Boston’s Advantage All Season
The Celtics’ success this season has been rooted in restraint.
They have resisted the urge to overreact to injuries. They have trusted internal development. And they have allowed roles to evolve naturally rather than forcing solutions early. That approach has kept the rotation balanced and the locker room aligned.
Trading Simons now would introduce disruption at a moment when continuity has become a strength. It would also open questions Boston does not need to answer yet, including how to replace his scoring feel, how to manage another expiring contract, and whether sacrificing present stability is worth future flexibility.
Dosunmu is not the problem here. He is a legitimate rotation player with traits that translate across systems, and it is easy to see why teams view him as a useful piece.
The risk lies elsewhere.
It is in treating a player who has already integrated, adapted, and contributed as expendable because of financial implications.
Noa Dalzell 🏀
Asked Anfernee Simons about acclimating to the Celtics:
“I feel like I’ve grown so much in a lot of areas just mentally — how to approach each and every game, attention to detail, and the intensity that we play with each and every night. That’s the standard that’s been set.”
Final Word for the Celtics
This is the trade mistake Boston needs to avoid.
The Celtics have earned the right to wait. Simons has earned the opportunity to remain part of the solution. And unless circumstances change in a meaningful way, Boston’s best move may be continuing to let this version of the roster develop organically.
Sometimes the mistake is not the deal you turn down.
It is the one you make before you have to.