Steve Kerr, Golden State Warriors
Getty
Steve Kerr, Golden State Warriors
If there’s one thing we’ve learned about the Golden State Warriors‘ roster this season, it’s that they need more offensive firepower behind Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler.
With both veterans sidelined, Golden State has struggled to find a go-to scorer on the roster. Moses Moody was becoming that guy, but injury issues derailed his career year.
In a recent article for Bleacher Report, Zach Buckley tabbed Anfernee Simons as a “dream” free agent addition for the Warriors. Simons is the type of flamethrower secondary or tertiary scorer Golden State has been missing in recent years.
“If the Dubs make a huge wager this summer, it’ll happen on the trade market. In free agency, they’ll have to be much more calculated,” Buckley wrote. “Like, say, hoping that the mini-midlevel is enough to land Simons as both an instant-offense spark and a non-Steph Curry spacer.”
“Simons is such a dreadful defender that his minutes will always be somewhat limited on a team with win-now intentions, but Golden State might be desperate enough for non-Curry scoring that it’d consider Simons as a top target,” Buckley continued.
Simons has played 55 regular-season games in the 2025-26 campaign, split between the Boston Celtics and Chicago Bulls. He’s averaging 44% from the field and 38.5% from deep, with box score averages of 14.3 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.4 assists.
Celtics’ Jaylen Brown Impressed By Simons
Simons spent the first half of the season with the Celtics. He was primarily used as the team’s sixth man, coming off the bench to provide a scoring punch. One of his best nights in a Celtics jersey came against the Miami Heat in a 119-114 Celtics’ win, on Jan. 15.
Simons dropped 39 bench points in that game.
During Jaylen Brown’s postgame news conference, he spoke glowingly of Simons talent and importance to the Celtics’ rotation.
“That was an amazing performance off the bench,” Brown said at the time. “That was one of his best performances of the year, and we needed every basket…Yeah, I said it. That boy can play. He’s probably more talented than the role that he’s placed in. You know, I think that’s kind of obvious.”
Brown continued.
“I have hella respect for him to come out and play winning basketball and do what the team needs to do on a night-in and night-out basis, doesn’t complain, just brings good energy. And just contributes in a positive way…He’s learning, he’s growing, he’s coming into his own, he’s developing. Tonight was an example of that.”
Golden State could certainly use a score-first guard like that in the second unit. Pairing Simons and Brandin Podziemski together could potentially give Golden State one of the best second-unit guard pairings in the NBA.
Golden State Warriors Could Sign Simons
Simons is in the final year of his current four-year $100 million contract. He will become an unrestricted free agent in the summer. It’s unlikely he will receive a contract offer close to what he’s currently earning. As such, the Warriors may be able to coax Simons to the Bay Area.
The opportunity to play alongside Curry, Butler and Draymond Green will undoubtedly be a draw.
So, if the Warriors are seeking some reliable scoring and secondary ball-handling, Simons could be the ideal addition to the rotation.
That is, of course, assuming they can beat out the undoubted compeition they will face to sign him.