Starting the season 4-6 is not what the Boston Celtics had in mind entering the 2021-22 NBA season, but this slow start does not mean that they are going to tear everything that they have built apart. The idea of trading Jaylen Brown for Philadelphia 76ers’ All-Star Ben Simmons seems like something that you would see in a video game, but yet here we are talking about it through three weeks of the regular season!
Shams Charania of The Athletic reported Monday that the Celtics engaged the 76ers about trade talks involving Simmons, but Charania did note that no talks have advanced. In addition, he also mentioned that the Celtics would have to give up Brown in any trades involving Ben Simmons on the Sixers’ end of things.
All offseason long, Daryl Morey and the Philadelphia 76ers’ front-office have been searching for trade opportunities involving Ben Simmons, but they have not been able to receive the kind of value they would like.
The Philadelphia 76ers are asking for championship-level/All-Star-level talent in exchange for Ben Simmons, which is why it makes sense that Jaylen Brown would be the player they would want from the Celtics. Brown is now in his sixth season in the NBA and after making the All-Star Game for the first time in his career last season, he is well on his way there again this year.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Celtics Engaged With 76ers For Ben Simmons Trade
Through eight games so far, Jaylen Brown is averaging 25.6 points (career-high), 6.1 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.3 steals (career-high), and is shooting 49.3% from the floor, 39.7% from three-point range.
Next to Jayson Tatum, Brown has become a superstar in his own right, giving the Celtics two young All-Stars to build with and around for many years to come in pursuit of more championships. Adding Ben Simmons next to Tatum certainly has some appeal, but at the expense of Jaylen Brown, this trade just makes zero sense for the Boston Celtics.
While there are reports about the Celtics’ interest in Simmons dating back to early on in the offseason, long-time Celtics reporter Mark Murphy reported on Monday that the Celtics are not discussing trades with Philadelphia for Ben Simmons and that these reports are “untrue”.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Celtics Engaged With 76ers For Ben Simmons Trade
Every team with a first-time head coach always goes through growing pains early on in the season, which is why we should not jump the gun on throwing out the Boston Celtics right away. They have not begun the season looking like a championship threat in the Eastern Conference, but this is a really talented team that does have more depth than they had a season ago.
Things are going to turn around for this team in time and while they could wind up finishing near the bottom of the standings in the Eastern Conference due to all the other talent in the league, this is a team that nobody will want to face come playoff time.
