Boston Celtics: 3 trades that could save C’s season

Boston Celtics win the Ben Simmons sweepstakes

In the past, I personally have discussed the idea of the Boston Celtics trading for the likes of Ben Simmons and, ultimately, deemed it an irresponsible move to make.

That said, desperate times call for desperate measures and, with the belief that the point guard’s value is dropping each day he remains in Philadelphia — it has even dropped considerably since my post on the matter referenced above –, perhaps the concept is not as foolish as I previously believed.

In fact, it could wind up being a tremendous transaction so long as the price is right.

As we alluded to already, Simmons’ value is seemingly at an all-time low and, frankly, continues to dwindle by the day.

Because of this, a player who once was viewed as a quality centerpiece in a proposed James Harden megadeal that nearly happened now reportedly can’t even be used to nab a guy like CJ McCollum who, though is a very good starting two-guard in this league, is nowhere near the type of talent that Simmons is.

At this point, it’s more than obvious that the star talent is not going to get the same return package that he once would have needed from Boston in order for the Sixers to even listen (i.e. either Tatum or Brown had to be included in the deal), which is why we have had a change of heart in our beliefs on seeing the Cs look to make a move for the guard.

Still just 25, Ben Simmons has plenty of upside left in his career, which is saying a ton considering he already boasts impressive averages of 15.9 points, 8.1 rebounds, 7.7 assists, 1.7 steals, and just shy of a block per game on 56 percent shooting from the field while also having three All-Star appearances, two All-Defensive selections, and an All-NBA nod attached to his name.

Built like a modern-day center at 6-11, 240-pounds with the game of a traditional point guard, Simmons is a do-it-all type of talent who could help this struggling Boston Celtics team that, well, could certainly use a little bit of everything at this point.

Now yes, obviously his non-existent long-range shooting stroke is a bit of a hindrance on just how high his ceiling can truly go but, frankly, on a team like the Cs, he wouldn’t really need to be a 3-point marksman.

In fact, his current offensive status as a pass-first floor general could be an unbelievable fit for Boston with Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown by his side, for their early-season scoring production has been heavily reliant on isolation sets which, obviously, has not resulted in a ton of success for this team.

In return, the Philadelphia 76ers would receive a solid package that sets them up rather nicely both in the immediate future as well as in the long run, as they bring on a nice mix of strong veterans headlined by Marcus Smart who truly is a better fit within Philly’s rotation than Simmons, an intriguing young prospect in Nesmith, and the rights to a few future first-round draft selections.