Boston Celtics: Karl-Anthony Towns traded to Cs in 3-team Ben Simmons mock trade

Boston Celtics fans would probably be very thrilled if the latest Ben Simmons-Cs mock blockbuster trade were to materialize in real life.

Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley has Simmons being sent to a third team, the Minnesota Timberwolves, with Karl-Anthony Towns being the primary return in a deal also involving Jaylen Brown heading to the Philadelphia 76ers.

This coming on the heels of a piece I published this morning about stars worth gutting the trade for to team up with Jayson Tatum.

Buckley’s mock trade certainly accomplishes that:

"Boston Celtics receive: Karl-Anthony TownsPhiladelphia 76ers receive: Jaylen Brown and Patrick BeverleyMinnesota Timberwolves receive: Ben Simmons, Robert Williams III, Matisse Thybulle, Jaden Springer and 2022 first-round pick (from PHI)"

As Buckley points out, the Cs would get the best player in the deal, making the pairing with Tatum the primary motivation for Boston to get it done:

"Boston’s motivation here is simple: Walking away with the best player in the deal, or at least the one who best complements Tatum. As good as Brown is—and he’s pounding on the door to greatness—there’s plenty of overlap with him and Tatum, and there aren’t many ways they can help each other. Towns, on the other hand, could run countless pick plays with Tatum and empty the arsenal with rolls to the rim, pops to the perimeter or quick kicks to open shooters."

Losing Robert Williams would hurt, but having Towns supplant him in the starting lineup alongside Al Horford would give Ime Udoka two capable passers that can also space the floor.

Ultimately, the point of this move would be to move on from the Brown-Tatum pair for a better fit for the Boston Celtics’ best player, and the Philadelphia 76ers would be paying the biggest price to move on from their own Simmons-Joel Embiid star pairing.

It’d be a no-brainer for Brad Stevens if presented. Swapping Brown and Time Lord for Towns is a move you make 10 out of 10 times if sacrificing a draft pick isn’t needed.