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BOSTON, MA - JANUARY 26: Jerami Grant #9 of the Portland Trail Blazers drives to the basket against Anfernee Simons #4 of the Boston Celtics in teh first quarter at TD Garden on January 26, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)
The Boston Celtics made the decision to trade Anfernee Simons in exchange for Nikola Vucevic. It was a trade that helped them address their biggest roster deficiency. Of course, they also traded away a guard who had been playing great for Boston for the last few weeks.
Simons has put up some good numbers in his early games with the Bulls. He was well-liked within the organization and did a lot to help the Celtics get to the top of the Eastern Conference standings. Right now, the Celtics sit third in the standings.
Jaylen Brown loved having Simons in Boston. Recently, he seemed to hint that Boston could have used Simons in a bigger role.
GettyBoston Celtics guard Anfernee Simons shoots the ball. (Photo by China Wong/Getty Images)
Boston Celtics forward Jaylen Brown Praises Anfernee Simons’ Time in Boston
While talking on a stream on Twitch, Brown gave a lot of praise for Simons, even indicating that he could have played a bigger role for the team.
“He’s talented. I feel like he’s more talented than the role he probably was in. But he came in and was a professional. He worked, he helped us win games, he did his job, what he was supposed to do. There was nothing more he could have done with the opportunity he was given. He held it down with his chin up. I respect the hell out of Anfernee, man, and I wish him the best.”
Brown was very pleased with how well Simons was able to play for the Celtics. His role off the bench was able to get Boston two guards out there who could handle the ball well at all times. With Simons gone, they have to reconfigure the rotation to make sure they still have that.
It seems Brown believes that Simons could have played a bigger role for the team, although the role he played clearly worked well for the team. Boston has put itself in a position to win the East with how high up they are in the standings.
GettyBoston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum looks on. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
The Celtics Are Still Waiting on Jayson Tatum
Jayson Tatum is still a potential player who could end up joining the team this season. Tatum has been working very hard to return from his torn Achilles. He hasn’t fully committed to returning to the team yet, but he still has a chance to help Boston be a top team in the East.
Tatum will not return to the Celtics unless he is 100 percent healthy. He doesn’t want to suffer a setback and further injure himself for next season. The Celtics have also played great without him in the lineup, so he would have to find a way to introduce himself into the lineup without disrupting the chemistry.
If Tatum does come back healthy, the Celtics should be considered the favorites to win the East. Tatum is still one of the best forwards in the NBA. Right now, Boston has the second-best offense in the league without him in the lineup. Tatum would only help that further.