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Celtics Looking To Sign Former No. 1 Pick

Originally posted on Last Word On Sports
By Quenton S Albertie | Last updated Jul 21, 2025 1:34 AM ET

The Boston Celtics are projected to look a lot different this upcoming season.

Not only is Jayson Tatum expected to miss the bulk of the regular season after tearing his Achilles in May, they’ve also traded starters Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis, perhaps in part due to severity of Tatum’s injury. To that point, though Holiday and Porzingis weren’t at the top of their game in 2024-25, the Celtics were still a championship contender. Now, Tatum’s injury has taken Boston down a peg. So, facing that reality, they opted not to have such a pricey payroll heading into 2025-26.

Celtics Looking To Sign Former No. 1 Pick Ben Simmons

Nonetheless, the Celtics are a proud bunch with a rich history and high expectations. Furthermore, Jaylen Brown is firmly in the middle of his prime. In fact, the four-time All-Star and 2024 NBA Finals MVP will turn 29 years old just three days after the 2025-26 regular season begins. As a result, they’re likely hoping to make a title run. They’re just being particularly judicious about how they do it.

In the Holiday trade, the Celtics were able to acquire fireball Anfernee Simons. With the Porzingis trade, they added 3-point specialist Georges Niang. It may also be worth noting that they selected Real Madrid standout Hugo Gonzalez with the 28th overall pick. Ironically, none of their new additions can be penciled into the rotation just yet though. In fact, Boston reportedly wants to trade both Simons and Niang, per Bleacher Report insider Jake Fischer.

However, there’s at least one potential addition who could be in line for a rotation role. “League sources say that the (Phoenix) Suns have also had some recent dialogue with former All-Star Ben Simmons, who I’m told has drawn interest since free agency began from Boston, [the New York Knicks] and [the Sacramento Kings],” The Stein Line insider Marc Stein reports.

What Ben Simmons Brings To Beantown

The No. 1 pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, Ben Simmons has been courted by multiple teams this offseason.

Because of his back injuries, passivity as a scorer and ultimately his decline, he’s no longer his All-Star self. Even still, he’s a preternatural passer with upper echelon defense and outstanding measurables. While obviously flawed, he’s capable of making winning plays. For the Celtics, that could be enough to warrant extending him an offer.

With that in mind, if Simons is traded, Boston could need additional backcourt depth anyways. Furthermore, though Simmons is seemingly incapable of replacing Holiday’s shooting, he’d be able to replace the 16-year NBA veteran as defensive anchor. The amount of playmaking that the Celtics need to replace in Tatum’s absence is also worth mentioning, as he averaged a career-high and team-high 6.0 assists per game last season.

This article first appeared on Last Word On Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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