This application provides a communication method, a network device, and a terminal. The communication method includes: determining, by a first network device, at least one candidate target cell and first configuration information, where the first configuration information is used to trigger a terminal to determine one of the at least one candidate target cell as a to-be-handed-over-to cell; and sending, by the first network device, a first message to the terminal, where the first message includes first cell indication information and the first configuration information, and the first cell indication information is used to indicate the at least one candidate target cell.