Who wants Ant Simons?

[hugepatsfan]

Right now, the Celtics are $15,418,716 over the luxury tax line with 13 players signed. If you assume they sign a vet min player ($2,296,271) for the last spot, they'll be at $17,714,987.

If they salary dumped Hauser into a TPE (either for free or maybe a 2nd back) and then also dumped Niang into a TPE (paying a 2nd or maybe even 2) then they'd technically go under the tax. But signing two more vet min for the open spots would take them up to $4,062,886 over the tax.

There are ways to tinker with that. Signing their 2nd round picks to minimum deals for rookie min of $1,272,869 instead of vet min helps some. They could waive a guy like JD Davison ($2,270,735 salary) and sign one of last year's two-way guys Drew Peterson to a 1 year experience minimum of $2,048,491 instead for marginal savings. Midseason they can dump a guy - say Xavier Tillman and his $2,546,675 salary - and backfill with a pro rated minimum deal. Let's say they signed one of their rookies - instead of Tillman at $2.5M they'd have about $636K on the books (half the rookie minimum on the pro rated deal the player signed).

It requires lots of maneuvering and tinkering with the roster, but ducking the tax is doable with him on the team and that's far and away the most extreme salary situation they'd go to with him. But, as I think those calcs show above, shaving even a small amount off the books helps. Like for example, John Collins makes $1.1M less than Simons. Pretty immaterial amount, but that swap does help balance BOS's roster and that $1.1M helps with that math in a dump Hauser/Niang to duck tax scenario.

It's also worth nothing that right now, with Hauser on the books still, BOS is about $31.4M below the tax line for next year. They have room to take on future money. For example... let's say BOS dealt Simons to DAL for Klay and Caleb Martin. BOS would be saving like $2M in salary, really $4M factoring int he extra roster spot filled. But those are multi year deals I would say are underwater that BOS is taking on. So in theory I think BOS could be owed value there.

That long term payroll flexibility also means there's merit to the idea of BOS adding a pick to Simons expiring deal for a long term piece. Like the Claxton idea... agreed BOS owes a future 1st there (even though I'm not a huge Claxton fan). That's not a crazy proposition for them considering Tatum will be back and they'd want to compete.

[Texas Chuck]

That long term payroll flexibility also means there's merit to the idea of BOS adding a pick to Simons expiring deal for a long term piece. Like the Claxton idea... agreed BOS owes a future 1st there (even though I'm not a huge Claxton fan). That's not a crazy proposition for them considering Tatum will be back and they'd want to compete.

Trading him for a multiyear deal player who makes sense moving forward seems like the right path to me too. Whether that is adding value for a good player or just trading him laterally but for a roster fit from a team preferring flexibility next summer.

[Texas Chuck]

That long term payroll flexibility also means there's merit to the idea of BOS adding a pick to Simons expiring deal for a long term piece. Like the Claxton idea... agreed BOS owes a future 1st there (even though I'm not a huge Claxton fan). That's not a crazy proposition for them considering Tatum will be back and they'd want to compete.

Trading him for a multiyear deal player who makes sense moving forward seems like the right path to me too. Whether that is adding value for a good player or just trading him laterally but for a roster fit from a team preferring flexibility next summer.

[hugepatsfan]

That long term payroll flexibility also means there's merit to the idea of BOS adding a pick to Simons expiring deal for a long term piece. Like the Claxton idea... agreed BOS owes a future 1st there (even though I'm not a huge Claxton fan). That's not a crazy proposition for them considering Tatum will be back and they'd want to compete.

Trading him for a multiyear deal player who makes sense moving forward seems like the right path to me too. Whether that is adding value for a good player or just trading him laterally but for a roster fit from a team preferring flexibility next summer.

Doesn't even have to be a guy who makes sense to keep moving forward IMO. Like imagine there's a team out there with Player X on a 2 year $45M deal they want off of. Salary is smaller in 25-26 season but they'd still give you draft capital to get off the 2nd year. It can be bad salary. Heck... bad salary might even be preferrable if it gets BOS more draft compensation and then next year when that guy is expiring they now have more draft ammo in the chamber to pursue a guy who really fits.

Now, I totally made up Player X so this may not be possible but you get the idea.

[brackdan70]

That long term payroll flexibility also means there's merit to the idea of BOS adding a pick to Simons expiring deal for a long term piece. Like the Claxton idea... agreed BOS owes a future 1st there (even though I'm not a huge Claxton fan). That's not a crazy proposition for them considering Tatum will be back and they'd want to compete.

Trading him for a multiyear deal player who makes sense moving forward seems like the right path to me too. Whether that is adding value for a good player or just trading him laterally but for a roster fit from a team preferring flexibility next summer.

Doesn't even have to be a guy who makes sense to keep moving forward IMO. Like imagine there's a team out there with Player X on a 2 year $45M deal they want off of. Salary is smaller in 25-26 season but they'd still give you draft capital to get off the 2nd year. It can be bad salary. Heck... bad salary might even be preferrable if it gets BOS more draft compensation and then next year when that guy is expiring they now have more draft ammo in the chamber to pursue a guy who really fits.

Now, I totally made up Player X so this may not be possible but you get the idea.

Player X is Kuzma

[tmorgan]

No one serious about winning next season is trading for Simons, even as a bench piece. His defense is that bad. Low effort + weak instincts.

[gswhoops]

The market has spoken pretty clearly that guys like Simons (undersized 2 guard whose only real skill is scoring) aren't highly valued by NBA teams. His best use is (as others have noted) likely as salary filler in a deal for a guy with a reasonable longer-term contract who helps Boston, like Claxton

[patman66]

No one serious about winning next season is trading for Simons, even as a bench piece. His defense is that bad. Low effort + weak instincts.

I'm thinking the effort will be there in a contract year. Doesnt help the instincts, but the effort should improve. Now I really believe that playing alongside other players who value and play defense will help him playing with the celts this year.

[brackdan70]

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?

Let’s turn this around. Simons and a FRP. Who’s the best Center you can get. Can bet long term Salary, but must be less than 25m per year.

[enzino]

BOS trades A. Simons, lotto protected FRP 2026
DET trades J. Ivey

BOS saves money, add a young guard
DET gets a scorer that, IMhO, fits very well along side with Cade

[djFan71]

Not even sure I like this, but:

Simons for Patrick Williams and Julian Phillips

If Bulls trade White for positive value, they could backfill with a year of Simons and unload Williams' extra years.
BOS drinks the hugepatsfan Kool Aid* and says bad money for multiple years is a GOOD thing. Saves $7.4M and gets someone mildy capable of playing PF this year.

* it tastes pretty good, tbh.

[BlazersBroncos]

Consitering what Sexton just went for - a guy thats about the same age, cheaper and better - I cant imagine Simons returning much.

[BK_2020]

Just buy him out and save $3 million.

[165bows]

No one serious about winning next season is trading for Simons, even as a bench piece. His defense is that bad. Low effort + weak instincts.

I'm thinking the effort will be there in a contract year. Doesnt help the instincts, but the effort should improve. Now I really believe that playing alongside other players who value and play defense will help him playing with the celts this year.

I've not been a big fan of this guy long term but if there was a season to bet on him this would be it. Based on age, contract status, team circumstances etc.

That said, it's a bit of a circular logic people are making that says "I know Jrue Holiday was negative value so therefore if this was his relative value in a trade then Simons must be even more negative" which isn't how it works.

But the market is not good for small scoring two guards and hasn't been for awhile. I do think the Bucks mention above is worth noting but a couple of the other teams that would have been on the list in NO and Charlotte just came off so that really doesn't help.

[hugepatsfan]

BOS gets: Patrick Williams, 2 2nds from MIL and CHI each (4 total)

CHI gets: Kuzma

MIL gets: Simons

Bucks pay 2 2nds to shed a contract year and address their desperate need for shot creation in the backcourt with Dame out. CHI pays 2 2nds to shed 2 contract years and, despite his flaws, upgrade at PF too.

BOS leverages their clean long term cap sheet to get back a nice little haul of 2nds even while shedding current year salary in the process. I also think PWilliams actually fits decently well as a long term role player in BOS in a 3&D type role if they're stuck with him, while still being a palatable enough salary filler to use in a trade.

[jbk1234]

BOS gets: Patrick Williams, 2 2nds from MIL and CHI each (4 total)

CHI gets: Kuzma

MIL gets: Simons

Bucks pay 2 2nds to shed a contract year and address their desperate need for shot creation in the backcourt with Dame out. CHI pays 2 2nds to shed 2 contract years and, despite his flaws, upgrade at PF too.

BOS leverages their clean long term cap sheet to get back a nice little haul of 2nds even while shedding current year salary in the process. I also think PWilliams actually fits decently well as a long term role player in BOS in a 3&D type role if they're stuck with him, while still being a palatable enough salary filler to use in a trade.

I wouldn't take back Kuzma for seconds if I were the Bulls.

[tmorgan]

BOS trades A. Simons, lotto protected FRP 2026
DET trades J. Ivey

BOS saves money, add a young guard
DET gets a scorer that, IMhO, fits very well along side with Cade

You think Detroit is trading Ivey for a negative expiring contract and a 1st that can’t be lotto?

C’mon now. Unserious offer.

[Scoot McGroot]

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.
.

Just FYI, that loophole is dead. Only Robinson's $9.8m gtd would work as outgoing salary match, so Miami would not have been able to bring in Ant and his contract. They could guarantee more, but then Boston wouldn't be able to waive for the large savings you were hoping. Etc.