The Boston Celtics made their first major move of the offseason on Monday, shipping veteran point guard Jrue Holiday to the Portland Trail Blazers. In return, they received shooting guard Anfernee Simons and two second-round draft picks, marking a cost-cutting move that could bolster their offense.
Boston, which lost superstar forward Jayson Tatum to a right Achilles tear in Round 2 of the 2025 playoffs, was widely expected to shed salary this summer to lessen its tax bill. According to ESPN’s Bobby Marks, acquiring Simons, who is on an expiring $27.7 million contract, will save the franchise $40 million in luxury tax payments next season.
The seven-year player is also projected to compensate for some of Tatum’s offensive production in what could be a gap year for the Eastern Conference powerhouse. While the Celtics reportedly “remain engaged in trade talks surrounding multiple key players,” here’s how their updated depth chart is shaping up early in the offseason.
Anticipating Celtics’ Restructured 2025–26 Depth Chart With Anfernee Simons
Simons will likely slide into Boston’s starting shooting guard spot, pushing Derrick White to the point guard position. As of Monday’s trade, the organization’s depth chart, including impending free agents, could be as follows:
Point Guard
Starter: Derrick White
Reserves: Payton Pritchard, JD Davison
Shooting Guard
Starter: Anfernee Simons
Reserves: Baylor Scheierman
Small Forward
Starter: Jaylen Brown
Reserves: Torrey Craig, Jordan Walsh
Power Forward
Starter: Al Horford
Reserves: Sam Hauser, Xavier Tillman, Drew Peterson, Miles Norris
Injured: Jayson Tatum
Center
Starter: Kristaps Porziņģis
Reserves: Luke Kornet, Neemias Queta
Analyzing Simons’ Fit With Celtics
Simons’ proven track record as a high-volume outside shooter should be a welcome addition to Boston coach Joe Mazzulla’s 3-point-centric offense. The team attempted an NBA-high 48.2 triples per game this past season, ranking first in makes (17.8). Meanwhile, Simons has shot 37.4% from deep on 8.8 attempts per game over his last three campaigns.
During that three-year stretch, the 26-year-old averaged 20.7 points per game, peaking at 22.6 ppg during the 2023-24 season. With Tatum potentially out all of next season, Simons should have a chance to be the Celtics’ secondary scoring option alongside star wing Jaylen Brown. However, it may not translate to immense success, as Simons hasn’t gotten a taste of postseason action since 2021.
MORE: Try Our Free NBA Mock Draft Simulator
Boston is expected to take a significant step back from its 61-win 2024-25 campaign. Even so, given the weakened state of the East, it should be in the mix for a playoff spot as it awaits the return of its franchise cornetstone.
