Ben Simmons is back, and the Sacramento Kings are the team giving him another shot after a year-long absence from the NBA. That alone is enough to make the Boston Celtics look back and appreciate how close they once came to a very different outcome.
Boston’s interest in Simmons wasn’t just a recent footnote. The Celtics had checked in on him back in 2021, during his ugly split with Philadelphia, and that conversation got serious enough for the 76ers to ask for Jaylen Brown in return. Boston stopped there.
In hindsight, that’s the kind of deal that can haunt a franchise for years. Simmons still carried real value at the time, even after his postseason meltdown, but it was not enough to push the Celtics into giving up Brown. And once you look at everything that happened after Philadelphia moved Simmons, that restraint looks even better.
The version of Simmons the league has seen since then is a far cry from the player who once starred for the Sixers. Back injuries changed him. He lost the athletic burst that made him such a problem at his peak, and the result has been a player who no longer impacts the game the same way.
Brooklyn felt that decline up close. Simmons missed a lot of time, and when he was on the floor, he often looked like a diminished version of himself while still showing some of the habits that frustrated people even before the injuries took their toll.
That’s why the Brown part matters so much. Whatever criticism comes his way, Brown gave Boston everything he had.
He fit the culture, he competed, and he helped the Celtics build the kind of success they’ve had in the Jays era during the 2020s. Swap in a post-Philadelphia Simmons for Brown, and it’s hard to imagine the same story playing out.
There’s also a clear difference between taking a low-risk flyer and making a major commitment. Boston was interested in Simmons last year, but that’s a lot different from paying a player tens of millions annually to be a featured piece when he can’t perform at that level anymore.
So yes, Simmons is getting another chance with Sacramento. But for Boston, this is one of those moments that serves as a reminder: the Celtics knew when to walk away. And that decision may have saved them from a franchise-crippling mistake.
In Other News...
Clippers Penalties Are Creating A Draft Problem Fans Should Notice
The Celtics have a reason to keep one eye on Los Angeles even while their own roster is front and center. Bostons first-round pick swap with the Clippers in the 2028 draft, acquired in the Jaylen Brown trade to Philadelphia, now sits in the middle of a complicated web of future obligations that could make it far more valuable than it first looked. The swap only fully comes into play depending on where the Clippers and Sixers land in the lottery, but the basic premise is simple enough for Celtics fans: if the Clippers keep sliding, Bostons asset gets more interesting.
The ripple effect does not stop there. Philadelphia also has a 2029 top-three protected pick swap with the Clippers from the James Harden deal, which adds another layer to what could become a long-term draft headache in Los Angeles. With the Clippers expected to decline in the standings, these future picks are starting to look like real trade currency, and that matters in Boston because every extra bit of draft leverage around the league can reshape how teams build, sell, and retool. [Read more 🡒]
Why Celtics Felt Jaylen Brown No Longer Fit Joe Mazzullas Vision
After consecutive postseasons that fell short of expectations, the Celtics made a choice that says as much about their direction as it does about Jaylen Brown. Boston opted to move on from one of its most recognizable stars and lean harder into Joe Mazzullas possession maxing vision, a style built around squeezing the most value out of every trip down the floor rather than simply stacking talent and hoping it sorts itself out.
Basketball Universitys analysis framed the move in basketball terms the front office apparently could not ignore, pointing to Browns lower possession value even while his individual production remained strong. The ripple effects go beyond Boston, with Philadelphia also set to feel the impact if Brown settles in there, where Nick Nurses system may prove to be a cleaner fit for his game than the one he left behind. [Read more 🡒]
Celtics Suddenly Have A Reason To Watch Jalen Duren Closely
Jalen Durens contract situation in Detroit has quietly become one of the more interesting subplots around the league, and it has a Boston angle now too. The Pistons and the young center have been stuck for months in extension talks, with Duren reportedly looking for more than $40 million per season while Detroit has been reluctant to go beyond $35 million.
For the Celtics, the importance of the stalemate has less to do with Duren himself than with what could come next. If the impasse pushes him toward a one-year qualifying offer and unrestricted free agency next summer, his market could shift quickly, and there is already speculation that the Clippers may be in the mix. Any movement there would ripple beyond Detroit and Los Angeles, because it could also alter the value of a future draft pick Boston is holding. [Read more 🡒]