Celtics Identified As Trade Fit For 25-Year-Old Sixth Man

Many fans thought the 2024 NBA champion Boston Celtics would struggle this season and await the return of superstar forward Jayson Tatum from injury.

However, through 36 games, Boston has moved up to the No. 3 seed in the East and has won two-thirds of its conference matchups.

The biggest story coming out of the Celtics camp now is if and how they plan to avoid the luxury tax.

Aside from the two $50 million men, Tatum and Jaylen Brown, the most expensive player on the Celtics roster is shooting guard Anfernee Simmons.

Simmons has been good this year, making 40 percent of his three-pointers and averaging nearly 14 points per game.

However, with a base salary of $27.7 million, experts are wondering how long Boston will want to continue paying a player who hasn’t started a single game this season.

He has emerged as the Celtics’ most attractive trade piece ahead of the deadline.

ESPN’s team of insiders believe he will be moved and have identified a potential trade fit via the Chicago Bulls.

Zack Cram wrote, “The Celtics are so competitive that they shouldn’t give up Simmons just for tax relief.” “But if they make a trade to create some financial flexibility, thereby opening up a spot in the perimeter rotation, the Bulls’ Ayo Dosunmu would be a good replacement in a late move.

“The speedy Dosunmu can add some fast-break points to one of the league’s slowest teams, and his 3-point shooting (43% this season) and strong point-of-attack defense will make him a good fit for Joe Mazzulla’s style.”

Dosunmu is in his fifth year in the league and is posting similar numbers to Simmons.

He’s an inch taller, posts better shooting splits, more assists and more rebounds. However, he is doing so for the 10th-place team.

His salary is nearly four times less than Simmons’, and like Simmons, he will be a free agent at the end of the 2025-26 season.

The move would shave $20 million off the books and provide a potential plug-and-play replacement.

The Celtics control four selections in next year’s draft should any potential trade partner need a pot sweetener.