Sunday at TD Garden, the Boston Celtics earned a 121-118 victory vs. the Los Angeles Clippers. Perhaps those two teams could go from opponents to trade partners.
Boston's visitors could use an upgrade in the backcourt. While James Harden and the currently sidelined Kawhi Leonard are their primary ball handlers, beyond them, Los Angeles is turning to Kris Dunn. There's also future Hall of Famer Chris Paul. However, the 40-year-old has not played in the team's last five tilts.
Perhaps the Clippers feel that's a fine contingency, at least when healthy. However, Anfernee Simons would provide a welcome boost. Another benefit to adding the seven-year veteran is that he operates effectively on and off the ball.
The six-foot-three guard could slot in alongside Harden and Leonard or take over the responsibility of initiating the offense to help pace them. There could also be another incentive for the franchise that calls the Intuit Dome home to strike a deal for Simons.
Los Angeles is 4-10, placing them 12th in the Western Conference. It's too early to get caught up in the standings. However, the Clippers are 4.5 games behind the sixth-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves. That deficit isn't easy to make up, even with the season still in its infancy. Having to go through the play-in tournament is a concerning path for the NBA's oldest roster. The average age of this team is 33.
Even if Tyronn Lue's team avoids such a treacherous trek, starting the playoffs with a slugfest against a higher seed, without home-court advantage, is also far from ideal.
The current campaign hasn't even reached 20 games, and this group is showing its age and dealing with injuries. If they can't right the ship by February, perhaps the franchise prioritizes its future.
Harden has a $42.3 million player option for next season. Leonard is on the books for $50 million for the 2026-27 campaign and slightly more for the year after that. The end of a promising era that hasn't panned out may be near.
Seeing the chance to prepare for its next chapter, the organization could aim to restock draft assets. Los Angeles is without a first-round pick in two of the next three years.
What a trade with the Celtics and Clippers might look like
If the Clippers are sellers around the trade deadline, perhaps that would include a willingness to part with starting center Ivica Zubac. The former All-Defensive team selection is averaging 16.2 points, 10.6 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks this season.
Zubac is under contract for $18.1 million for the current campaign, $19.6 million next season, and $21 million for 2027-28. That combination of talent and contractual value will cost a steep price for any team to acquire.
If the Celtics are willing to send two first-round draft picks with Simons, it's as good an offer as one could expect them to make. They would also have to absorb more salary to make the math work.
One potential combination is for Boston to also receive Brook Lopez and Kobe Brown, along with Zubac. The Celtics could utilize the $22.5 million traded player exception created in the deal that sent Kristaps Porzingis to the Atlanta Hawks.
With the roster at 16, the team would likely waive Brown, who's on an expiring contract. Lopez has a $9.2 million team option for the 2026-27 season. Don't expect that to get picked up in this scenario.
Unfortunately for Boston, while Zubac would be a stellar addition to help the franchise return to championship contention, he's a piece worth holding onto for Los Angeles. It would likely take a more enticing offer to get the Clippers to change their mind about that.