Simons was a top-10 prospect in the 2019 class, but his decision to enter the draft early means he’ll probably be stuck toward the end of the first round. The Celtics are bound to have some outgoing pieces on the perimeter, so adding the highest upside available makes sense for a competitive roster.
We’re still a few years away from seeing Simons at his best, but he has obvious appeal as a project. He’s already a dynamic scorer, using plus athleticism and shifty ball handling to score in isolation. If he can add a reliable three-point shot and create for others, Simons’ lottery-level talent could pay dividends for the Celtics.
I’m of the opinion that Simons shouldn’t fall this far. We’ll see what happens in June.