Who wants Ant Simons?

rambo_ortega · Post #1 » by **rambo_ortega** » Mon Jun 30, 2025 10:58 am

Celtics are reportedly unloading him for cap flexibility. For me, he is a very good scorer that can still develop as an overall player in the right system. Who will take a gamble for him for a FRP or maybe a young Center on a rookie contract?

Thinking of something like Simons + Hauser for Nic Claxton

Any ideas?

BK_2020 · Post #2 » by **BK_2020** » Mon Jun 30, 2025 11:01 am

Sexton is basically a better version of Simons and he went for negative picks.
Also his name is Anfernee.

rambo_ortega · Post #3 » by **rambo_ortega** » Mon Jun 30, 2025 11:20 am

BK_2020 wrote:Sexton is basically a better version of Simons and he went for negative picks.
Also his name is Anfernee.

He is also called Ant :lol:

BK_2020 · Post #4 » by **BK_2020** » Mon Jun 30, 2025 11:25 am

rambo_ortega wrote:
BK_2020 wrote:Sexton is basically a better version of Simons and he went for negative picks.
Also his name is Anfernee.

He is also called Ant

Ant, it is.
No one's still giving a FRP for him though.

Billl · Post #5 » by **Billl** » Mon Jun 30, 2025 11:32 am

Ugh, you’ve got the value going the wrong way if you are looking for cap flexibility. He doesn’t have positive trade value.

facothomas22 · Post #6 » by **facothomas22** » Mon Jun 30, 2025 11:46 am

Based on the fact that the Blazers attached a 2nd round pick to Simons to trade him for Jrue Holiday, who's not positive value, I don't see any real takers for Simons, unless you're willing to take on a really bad contract. Also Nic Claxton is a decent bit more valuable than him as well,so the Celtics would need to send out significant assets in such a trade like this.

brackdan70 · Post #7 » by **brackdan70** » Mon Jun 30, 2025 1:02 pm

He just turned 26, so there is some possible upside still. He hasn’t really shown himself to be able to be an effective defender, though is a great offensive player. The league seems full of these undersized lead guards that can’t hack it on the defensive end. At his contract 1/27, he is probably not a positive asset. I think if he made 10 million less he would be.
A trade where the Celtics attach a second and get two smaller contracts back. Or even trading for a guy that makes less per year but longer term ( that would be a useful player for the Celtics) makes sense. They probably have to attach a second.
I like the idea of Simons to Dallas, Gafford to Boston, Boston pays a second to send Dallas Salary to a third team.
Is Simons and seconds to Utah for Clarkson and Kessler something.

Post #8 » by **Texas Chuck** » Mon Jun 30, 2025 1:06 pm

I mean the market is telling us that Dallas giving Gafford for him is overpaying at this point. Dallas is better off from a team standpoint just signing Russell or the like for the TPE rather than sacrificing value to help Boston fill another need and shave a ton of salary off.

Nyce_1 · Post #9 » by **Nyce_1** » Mon Jun 30, 2025 1:06 pm

Hurry and buy him out so Orlando can get him for free.

brackdan70 · Post #10 » by **brackdan70** » Mon Jun 30, 2025 1:09 pm

Texas Chuck wrote:I mean the market is telling us that Dallas giving Gafford for him is overpaying at this point. Dallas is better off from a team standpoint just signing Russell or the like for the TPE rather than sacrificing value to help Boston fill another need and shave a ton of salary off.

Probably true. Extending Gafford probably means they intend to keep him rather than move him as well.
In that trade Scenario I suppose Dallas needs more value

brackdan70 · Post #11 » by **brackdan70** » Mon Jun 30, 2025 1:11 pm

Nyce_1 wrote:Hurry and buy him out so Orlando can get him for free.

Is Orlando in the market for a guy like him after trading for Bane? Before they trade I would think they could be an interesting trade partner but are they still?

Magic_Johnny12 · Post #12 » by **Magic_Johnny12** » Mon Jun 30, 2025 1:20 pm

rambo_ortega wrote:Celtics are reportedly unloading him for cap flexibility. For me, he is a very good scorer that can still develop as an overall player in the right system. Who will take a gamble for him for a FRP or maybe a young Center on a rookie contract?

Thinking of something like Simons + Hauser for Nic Claxton

Any ideas?

It just cost Utah a SRP to turn Sextons $19M into the corpse of Nurkic.

Simons is owed $9M more and basically the same level of impact player.

If you want to convert Simons to a much better player then it might cost Boston (not Brooklyn) a FRP.

For another deadweight contract that plays a different position? Maybe a pair of seconds.

Simon’s doesn’t suddenly get more valuable just because he’s on the Celtics.

orlando_joe · Post #13 » by **orlando_joe** » Mon Jun 30, 2025 1:26 pm

brackdan70 wrote:
Nyce_1 wrote:Hurry and buy him out so Orlando can get him for free.

Is Orlando in the market for a guy like him after trading for Bane? Before they trade I would think they could be an interesting trade partner but are they still?

for vet min sure ...not on that contract

Magic_Johnny12 · Post #14 » by **Magic_Johnny12** » Mon Jun 30, 2025 1:39 pm

brackdan70 wrote:
Nyce_1 wrote:Hurry and buy him out so Orlando can get him for free.

Is Orlando in the market for a guy like him after trading for Bane? Before they trade I would think they could be an interesting trade partner but are they still?

Bane doesn’t single handily fix all of Orlando’s shooting woes.

If Orlando could get Simons for the part of the MLE to lead your bench group you absolutely have to consider.

Skybox · Post #15 » by **Skybox** » Mon Jun 30, 2025 1:39 pm

He'd be a monster off the bench for ORL (or anybody) but it's free agency Monday and he's exactly the kind of player ORL would love to juice up their bench scoring and playmaking - but can't afford...I'd love to make a deal with Goga or even be willing to send Wendell Carter to BOS, but ORL can't take back significant extra salary and certainly wouldn't be offering Simons a raise this summer.

brackdan70 · Post #16 » by **brackdan70** » Mon Jun 30, 2025 1:42 pm

Skybox wrote:He'd be a monster off the bench for ORL (or anybody) but it's free agency Monday and he's exactly the kind of player ORL would love to juice up their bench scoring and playmaking - but can't afford...I'd love to make a deal with Goga or even be willing to send Wendell Carter to BOS, but ORL can't take back significant extra salary and certainly wouldn't be offering Simons a raise this summer.

My guess is he won’t get a raise next year ( unless he turns into a good defender all of a sudden ) I bet his next deal is less than 20m per year. Seems like the CBA is reigning in salaries a bit.

brackdan70 · Post #17 » by **brackdan70** » Mon Jun 30, 2025 1:45 pm

Skybox wrote:He'd be a monster off the bench for ORL (or anybody) but it's free agency Monday and he's exactly the kind of player ORL would love to juice up their bench scoring and playmaking - but can't afford...I'd love to make a deal with Goga or even be willing to send Wendell Carter to BOS, but ORL can't take back significant extra salary and certainly wouldn't be offering Simons a raise this summer.

How much Salary would Orlando need to send out to take on 27m…and are there players they don’t mind sending out as salary ballast?

Skybox · Post #18 » by **Skybox** » Mon Jun 30, 2025 1:51 pm

brackdan70 wrote:
Skybox wrote:He'd be a monster off the bench for ORL (or anybody) but it's free agency Monday and he's exactly the kind of player ORL would love to juice up their bench scoring and playmaking - but can't afford...I'd love to make a deal with Goga or even be willing to send Wendell Carter to BOS, but ORL can't take back significant extra salary and certainly wouldn't be offering Simons a raise this summer.

How much Salary would Orlando need to send out to take on 27m…and are there players they don’t mind sending out as salary ballast?

ORL declined Moe Wagner's TO, so they are eligible for full MLE...not sure if that can be applied in a trade (?)

otherwise, Isaac/Jett Howard (expiring) gets you to $21m...ORL probably not the answer if $$$ savings is the priority.

I kind of wanted to see Simons go off in BOS' system and quiet the haters. That kid can shoot like only a handful of players and he's a physical freak...I'd really like to see him on a decent defensive team with his wingspan and athleticism - I'm certainly not saying "Plus defender", just overly criticized and a product of his environment to a degree.

facothomas22 · Post #19 » by **facothomas22** » Mon Jun 30, 2025 1:53 pm

Skybox wrote:He'd be a monster off the bench for ORL (or anybody) but it's free agency Monday and he's exactly the kind of player ORL would love to juice up their bench scoring and playmaking - but can't afford...I'd love to make a deal with Goga or even be willing to send Wendell Carter to BOS, but ORL can't take back significant extra salary and certainly wouldn't be offering Simons a raise this summer.

I wouldn't be concerned about Simons getting a pay raise,unless he somehow blooms into a all star or becomes a far better defense. I think it's very real possibly his contract will be a midlevel exception or lower. I also see no reason to include Goga or Wendell Carter in any trade,unless the Celtics are willing to attach draft capital. The CBA have strongly devalued players of Anfernee Simons skillset.

cl2117 · Post #20 » by **cl2117** » Mon Jun 30, 2025 1:53 pm

I had kept thinking Miami was a match for Boston if they wanted an upgrade from Duncan Robinson without paying for it. They could've dealt his only $9.8m guaranteed deal and taken on Simons, C's could just cut Robinson and save $17m. Was shocked to see him opt out of his deal, so I guess that trick is dead.

I think the Celtics need to be looking at the same teams that are positioned to eat salary for draft assets if they want to move Simons. No one is going to pay assets and/or tax dollars for the pleasure of riding out his expiring contract. If the C's can eat a similar sized expiring contract of a worse player (either in terms of talent or fit for the team) and then on top of that send out Niang ideally or Hauser if necessary, that gets them below the 1st apron and tax line. The 2nds that Stevens got from trading back from #36 as well as any others they're holding are probably the only value Brad wants to throw on top to make it happen, which will be challenging.

Atlanta, Washington, Brooklyn, Chicago, New Orleans, Sacramento, Miami, Cleveland, GSW are all teams with TPE's large enough to eat Naing or Hauser and might have some interest depending on what salary they get to shed for Simons.

If they get off Niang entirely via one of those TPE's then they only need to shed around $5m on any Simons swap. So swap say Nurkic for Simons with a little help from the Ainges' and you're there.