The Boston Celtics have barely skipped a beat since trading Anfernee Simons. Jayson Tatum’s return has certainly helped, but after plenty of skeptics questioned why Boston would ship out a player who had proven to be a solid fit, it’s now obvious the front office knew exactly what it was doing.
That said, the Celtics shouldn’t shy away from running a similar experiment again. Before he arrived in Boston, many wondered whether Simons would ever become an effective NBA player. The fit looked clunky at first, yet he eventually figured it out—highlighting both how dangerous he can be in the right environment and just how elite the Celtics’ player-development staff truly is.
Now, Boston has a golden opportunity to target Simons’ replacement in Cam Thomas.
There’s a compelling argument for steering clear of Thomas entirely. Making the case even stronger is the fact that he has been waived twice this season—first by the Brooklyn Nets and then by the Milwaukee Bucks, two of the league’s weakest teams. On top of that, while there is some skill overlap with Simons, Thomas is noticeably less efficient and has proven far less at the NBA level so far.
However, the Celtics have performed miracles with nearly every player on their roster this season. Almost everyone has taken a meaningful step forward. Thomas may be a very one-dimensional scorer, but that single elite skill—pure bucket-getting—can still be extremely valuable if the right system and coaching unlock it.
Because Boston has already transformed a player of a similar archetype into one of its biggest standouts, why not try the same magic on Thomas? If he comes at the right (very low) price, he represents a classic buy-low candidate worth pursuing.
This is absolutely something the Celtics should explore next season.
There’s little reason to chase him right now, as Thomas wouldn’t be playoff-eligible anyway. All signs point to the final roster spot going to Ron Harper Jr., who has more than earned it with his strong play and fully deserves the opportunity.
Instead, this move makes perfect sense in the offseason. If Thomas develops as hoped, he could be ready to contribute in the 2027 playoffs. There’s also no need to disrupt the excellent continuity of the current group while they focus on integrating Jayson Tatum back into game shape.
With so many two-way contributors already on the roster and an offense that ranks among the league’s best, the Celtics have plenty of ways to keep opponents guessing. Adding another pure scorer like Cam Thomas—if developed properly—could make Boston’s attack even more unstoppable.
Out with Simons. In with the outcast. Boston is once again pulling off the ultimate buy-low, sell-high heist—bringing in the most controversial name on the board to fill the scoring void left behind. If anyone can turn Thomas into a Celtic, it’s this organization.