BOSTON — Anfernee Simons has been one of the better scorers in the league for years now, but he hasn’t generated much national attention. Part of it is playing in a smaller media market in the Blazers, which he pointed out, plus they weren’t winning many games.
But as he joins the Celtics, he spoke about the opportunity ahead of him. Even with muted expectations compared to past seasons, the Celtics will naturally garner more attention as the winningest franchise in league history. So, Simons said he’s eyeing a potential perception change heading into his first season in Boston.
“Just impact winning,” Simons said. “I think that’s one of the big things, that you could say about me is that in the last couple of years where I’ve been, you could say the main guy, we didn’t win. I just want to come in, like I said before, no matter how it looks like, I want to have that winning player stigma on me. That’s pretty much simple. No matter what it looks like, how hard it is, how much of an adjustment it can be, ups and downs, I want to be able to stretch myself into being that type of player.”
Simons, 26, has been one of Portland’s top scorers over the past few seasons. It’s a different experience being at the top of a scouting report as defenses actively look to slow you down on a nightly basis. But Simons won’t get that treatment in Boston with Jaylen Brown slated to be the Celtics’ top guy since Jayson Tatum is out indefinitely.
While Simons has also commanded a starting role in Portland, he said at media day that he won’t be concerned with whether he starts or not going into the year. It’s unclear what the Celtics’ starting lineup will look like with so many new faces, though Simons figures to be part of the mix at guard.
Simons has talked about being a “winning player,” sounding like he’s buying into the Celtics’ ethos that’s made them so successful under coach Joe Mazzulla. How that looks is another question, but it will likely include defensive improvements since that’s been the sore spot in the guard’s career. Simons also enters a contract year, so he should also have plenty of incentive to put up a great season ahead of next summer.
“It’s been good,” Simons said. “I think as this training camp goes along, we’re doing a lot of playing. So I think we’re going to find our way naturally and just simple communication. But it’s been fun. Obviously those guys have played with each other before, so I’m just trying to fit into that. Just try to figure out my way to just be myself.”
If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.