Celtics’ Anfernee Simons Shares Excitement About His Trade To Boston

The Celtics stand out as one of the few NBA franchises with a rich tradition dating back to the 1940s. Many players aspire to be part of Boston’s culture, and newly acquired guard Anfernee Simons is thrilled about the opportunity.

“I was super excited for the opportunity to come here and join a culture that’s already been set,” Simons said Monday, via Celtics on CLNS.

The Celtics sent guard Jrue Holiday to the Portland Trail Blazers and received Simons and two second-round picks in exchange this offseason.

Simons spent his first seven seasons in Portland, averaging 15 points, 2.5 rebounds and 3.3 assists in 389 games.

Portland has missed the playoffs for the last four years, so Simons must be excited to join a Boston team that has achieved 11 consecutive playoff appearances.

The Celtics will need to rely heavily on Simons this season to secure their 12th consecutive playoff appearance. With Holiday no longer on the team, someone must step up to fill his role, and Simons has the potential to be that player.

Simons may not match Holiday’s defensive performance, but he can score at a fast rate. This could benefit the Celtics in games where they need to score a high number of points to defeat their opponents.