There is no worse time to be an NBA fan than the dog days of August and September. If you don’t believe me, the severe lack of news or content from around the association and about the Boston Celtics has brought (*checks notes) Ben Simmons’ name back into the headlines.
The 2016 No. 1 overall pick is thought to be eyeing an NBA comeback after spending the last year competing in (and winning) professional fishing tournaments. Simmons was an All-NBA player in his prime. He could handle like a point guard and defend all five positions thanks to his six-foot-ten-inch frame.
Injuries and questionable desire to improve saw him flounder around before going fishing (literally).
At this point, there’s been no serious reporting or speculation, but let’s get ahead of it and say, no, the Celtics should not go out and sign Ben Simmons to their open 15th roster spot.
Ben Simmons makes zero sense for the Celtics at this point
First and foremost, Simmons doesn’t seem like a fit for the culture the Celtics have built under Brad Stevens and Joe Mazzulla. Stevens has done a great job of never wasting roster spots. Typically, even guys who aren’t necessarily rotation players serve a purpose. Whether that means continuing their respective developmental tracks while they wait for their opportunities to come (see Ron Harper Jr.) or bringing good vibes at the end of the bench like Blake Griffin did in his lone season with the Cs.
Simmons, whose former agent Bernie Lee left him last offseason when he seemed unserious about pursuing another year in the league, doesn’t quite meet the driven standards in Boston.
Not to mention that the 30-year-old’s final stint in the league came over a year ago with the Los Angeles Clippers. Simmons signed with the Clips after he was bought out of his deal with the Brooklyn Nets, and appeared in just 18 games for L.A.
He averaged 2.9 points, 3.1 assists, and 3.8 rebounds per game while shooting 43.4% from the field.
When there were rumors of him joining the Cs last summer, it made a little more sense. Boston had just seen three of their four rotation centers head to new homes, and their frontcourt felt extremely thin heading into the season. Adding Simmons would’ve given them an extra option off the bench behind Neemias Queta.
No room for Simmons in Celtics' frontcourt
Now that they’ve added Mitchell Robinson as a free agent and drafted Chris Cenac Jr., there’s simply no need for anyone else. If you’re a fan who wants to see the Celtics sign Simmons, you have to ask yourself who you’d like to see him play instead of.
Not Queta. Not Robinson. Not Luka Garza. Not Cenac Jr.
It’s also worth mentioning that even on a minimum contract, Simmons would cost the Celtics upwards of $3 million. Seeing how they’re currently $1.7 million below the luxury tax threshold, it’s safe to say the former Rookie of the Year won’t be wearing green when training camp rolls around.
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