National Basketball Association

With Ben Simmons still unavailable to the 76ers, could a trade to the Celtics be on the table?

Updated Nov. 8, 2021 7:54 p.m. ET

The Ben Simmons saga in Philadelphia doesn't appear to have an end in sight, as he's now being linked to an Eastern Conference rival.

According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, the Boston Celtics have begun to show interest in the disgruntled 76ers guard, but the price to acquire him could be costly.

"The Boston Celtics have engaged in conversations with the 76ers revolving around Simmons and expressed interest in the 6-foot-11 guard," Charania said. "Talks have been fluid, with no traction as of yet. Any potential Simmons deal with the Celtics would have to include All-Star forward Jaylen Brown."

Simmons has not appeared in a game this season and has continued to seek treatment for a back injury while also seeking mental health assistance before returning to play.

In the same report, Charania details how the Sixers have "become increasingly irritated with Simmons' lack of providing further clarity on the matter," though it is now being reported that the two sides have reached common ground.

Given all of this, a Simmons-for-Brown swap might seem like a step backward for the Celtics.

Brown is off to a hot start, averaging career highs in points (25.6), field-goal percentage (49.3%), 3-point percentage (39.7%) and free-throw percentage (78%). Simmons, on the other hand, has proven to not be an outside shooting threat while averaging just 15.9 PPG for his career.

The idea of Brown being traded for Simmons might not be the most popular trade proposal in NBA circles.

But even with Brown's improved play, he and fellow Celtics All-Star Jayson Tatum have struggled to be effective at the same time this season, and their tendency to hunt their own offense might have caused a riff in their locker room.

Although Simmons doesn't pack the scoring punch of Brown, he could upgrade the passing and defense of a 4-6 Celtics team. The Celtics currently rank 24th in the NBA defensively, allowing 110.2 PPG. In five of their six losses, they have surrendered at least 115 points.

Simmons has been named to two All-Defense teams in his four-year career and was the 2019-20 NBA steals champion. At 6-foot-11, his size and defensive versatility could help the Celtics improve quickly on that side of the floor.

Simmons also averages 7.7 assists per game in his career, and with the Celtics in need of more offensive flow, his court vision could prove beneficial.

Currently, the Celtics average 23.5 assists per game, which is 25th in the NBA, and Dennis Schroder leads them in assists, with six per game. The next closest Celtic is Marcus Smart with four.

With Simmons still inactive for the Sixers and the Celtics looking for more balance to help turn their season around, a Simmons-for-Brown exchange might not be completely out of left field.