The rationale for when the Boston Celtic traded Anfernee Simons was that such a move got Boston under the luxury tax, which gives them options for this summer, they needed more frontcourt depth, and Jayson Tatum was coming back. All three reasons were valid, but even so, Simons looked like he had figured himself out which was benefitting the Celtics big time.
The deal would have been more justifiable if Vucevic had carved out his niche in Boston, but he never really did. What's worse, he didn't even play in Game 7, thus putting his Celtics future in doubt first off, but second off, it also should make fans question the decision to swap Simons for him.
This doesn't stem from the Celtics' apparent lack of trust in Vucevic by the end. It also stems from the fact that Simons could have at least given the Celtics some badly-needed shotmaking. This has been brought up before, but on a day like yesterday, it became glaringly obvious that Boston needed someone who could score, which their supporting cast could not provide.
The Celtics are the first team to have three different starters (Luka Garza, Baylor Scheierman, Ron Harper Jr.) with 0 points in a playoff game since starters were first tracked in 1970-71. pic.twitter.com/qBBP1En2BZ
— ESPN Insights (@ESPNInsights) May 3, 2026
This has been brought up before, but what's fallen under the radar is that the Sixers came back because they had more consistent complementary scoring than the Celtics did. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown did their thing, but it was pretty clear they needed more than just them. Philly had Paul George and VJ Edgecombe to back up Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey.
With Derrick White and Neemias Queta struggling, someone like Simons could have been useful, even if he wouldn't have provided much on the defensive end.
Could that be enough to fuel a Simons reunion?
Again, this has come up, with much of it because, even if he got off to a rocky start in Boston, Simons proved in time how much of a threat he was when situations like the ones the Celtics dealt with yesterday (and really throughout their series against the Sixers). When everyone else was off, he could get going to keep them in it and even pull off the miracle win.
It's tough because Payton Pritchard (who Joe Mazzulla absolutely should have played more in this series) took Simons' spot. Tatum's return would also likely have slashed Simons' minutes, which the latter didn't deserve.
He won't get the same contract he did in Portland, but he was impressive enough in Boston to get himself a market. The Celtics will have the non-taxpayers midlevel exception to offer him. Simons will have to question what his role would be and if the Celtics really plan to keep him.
It is a shame that after the trade, Simons' season ended on a whimper, and then a short while after that, so did the Celtics. It's not like the trade for Vucevic was entirely inexplicable, but in Captain Hindsight fashion, it's hard not think Boston would probably have a do-over if they could.
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