Free agency is almost over at this point. Like the Philadelphia 76ers, most other teams are technically already finished wheeling and dealing in the open market, and really, the only remaining fronts that are active are the slew of transactions involving restricted free agents such as Quentin Grimes, Jonathan Kuminga, and Cam Thomas, among others.
Having said that, for teams still having a roster spot or two, there remains some intriguing free agents who can pique their interest. One player in particular is Ben Simmons, who has been making rounds recently as a potential last-ditch target for a handful of teams still looking to bolster their lineup, especially on the frontcourt.
Interestingly though, Simmons has been linked to a rather wacky landing spot — the Boston Celtics. Undoubtedly the biggest rival of the 76ers, the Celtics are a bit of a wildcard heading into the 2025-26 season. While they still have a lot of talent on their roster, their title hopes are most likely dashed following the Achilles injury of Jayson Tatum and the respective exits of Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday for salary cap reasons.
If this rumor eventually becomes true, the former 76ers star will have a big chance of pulling a huge reversal on his previous ball club.
Ben Simmons will eye an ultimate reversal on the 76ers if latest rumor is true
The Celtics are not expected to be a resolute threat for the championship next season, but they are clearly not going to be cellar-dwellers either. In fact, if we’re making a bet, it’s probably safer to bank on them sneaking into the postseason picture.
Hence, if Simmons lands in Boston, there is a slim chance that he can get back to his former self, at least from an optics standpoint. With Tatum out, Porzingis headed to a new team, and even Al Horford widely believed to be signing elsewhere, the lane is wide-open for him to claim a major role with the Celtics.
Both being from the Atlantic Division, the 76ers will face the Celtics four times next season at the very least. And the sight of Simmons in a Boston jersey will definitely hit a lot of nerves in Philly. What more if he actually thrives playing for their biggest rival, right?
Admittedly, it would be a great sight to see Ben Simmons regain his confidence and level of play, but if he does it while playing for the Boston Celtics, you can count on Philadelphia 76ers fans not just sitting on their couches, heaping praises on the former All-Star.
Oh, and that would also make the Celtics a threat in a year where the 76ers are slated to dominate them. Yikes.