The Celtics find themselves in a precarious position during the 2025 offseason: the team is in danger of going over the second apron of the salary cap—bringing on strict financial penalties and roster management limitations—but may not be in a position to contend for an NBA title while forward Jayson Tatum recovers from the torn Achilles he suffered during the playoffs.
That predicament informed Boston's offseason moves, which has featured a few notable trades of veteran contributors like Kristaps Porziņģis and Jrue Holiday. Holiday, a key piece of the 2024 title-winning team, was traded to the Portland Trail Blazers for Anfernee Simons, a 26-year-old score-first guard who looked to be a logical fit for a roster that will miss Tatum's scoring punch for most if not all of the season.
