Suggesting Simons Will Lead Boston in Points Ignores Jaylen Brown’s Presence
In the modern NBA, conversations about scoring leaders and offensive firepower dominate the discourse around championship contenders.
Fans, analysts, and media outlets alike constantly speculate about which players will emerge as a team’s focal point, often projecting star newcomers or rising talents into outsized roles.
But occasionally, those projections clash with the reality of a team’s roster.
A prime example of this is the suggestion that Anfernee Simons, the electric Portland Trail Blazers guard, would lead the Boston Celtics in scoring if he ever donned green and white.
While Simons is undoubtedly talented, such a claim glosses over the obvious: Jaylen Brown’s continued and consistent presence as one of Boston’s premier scoring options.
To understand why this statement misses the mark, one must first appreciate Brown’s evolution.
Drafted third overall in 2016, Brown entered the league as a raw, athletic wing known for his defensive versatility and transition play.
Over the years, however, he has developed into a polished offensive force.
By steadily improving his shooting, footwork, and ball-handling, Brown has transformed into a reliable scorer capable of creating his own shot at all three levels.
He has averaged over 23 points per game in recent seasons, thriving both alongside Jayson Tatum and in stretches where he has carried the offense himself.
Brown is not simply an ancillary scorer; he is a proven star who consistently ranks among the league’s best wings.
When someone suggests that Simons would instantly leapfrog Brown to become Boston’s top scorer, it diminishes the work Brown has put in to become the player he is today.
Brown is not a secondary piece waiting to be overshadowed by a flashy newcomer—he is an All-NBA performer, a Finals contributor, and a central pillar of Boston’s championship aspirations.
His scoring prowess is not theoretical; it is battle-tested on the biggest stages.
This is not to dismiss Simons, whose talent is undeniable.
Emerging from Damian Lillard’s shadow in Portland, Simons has showcased an impressive scoring arsenal.
He is an elite three-point shooter with deep range, quick release, and the confidence to take big shots.
In addition, his ability to create off the dribble and attack defenders in isolation makes him a dynamic offensive threat.
On a rebuilding team like Portland, he has flourished with the green light, often shouldering the primary scoring load.
The idea that he could elevate his numbers on a contending roster is not outlandish.
But context matters. Scoring volume and efficiency are often tied to role, opportunity, and roster construction.
On the Celtics, Simons would not be a first option; he might not even be the second.
Jayson Tatum, Boston’s franchise cornerstone, has firmly established himself as the team’s offensive centerpiece.
He has averaged around 30 points per game and consistently ranks among the league’s elite scorers.
Behind Tatum, Jaylen Brown operates as a co-star rather than a sidekick, delivering timely scoring bursts and thriving in isolation, transition, and catch-and-shoot opportunities. For Simons to outscore Brown, he would have to leapfrog one of the NBA’s most productive and proven wings—an unlikely scenario given Boston’s pecking order.
Moreover, Brown’s game complements Tatum’s in ways that Simons’ might not.
Brown’s size and athleticism allow him to punish mismatches, attack the rim with authority, and hold his own defensively against bigger wings.
Simons, while explosive, is undersized for a wing and would likely face tougher defensive matchups against Boston’s opponents.
In the playoffs, where defensive intensity tightens and physicality rises, Brown’s ability to thrive against elite competition has already been proven.
Simons, meanwhile, has limited postseason experience and has yet to demonstrate his scoring prowess against the league’s top defenses.
From a chemistry standpoint, the Celtics have spent years building around the Tatum-Brown duo.
The front office’s faith in that partnership was reaffirmed when Brown signed the largest contract in NBA history at the time—a signal that Boston views him as indispensable to their championship window.
Suggesting that a player like Simons could walk in and eclipse Brown as the team’s leading scorer undermines not only Brown’s individual talent but also the carefully constructed identity of the Celtics.
It also speaks to a broader trend in NBA discourse: the tendency to overvalue hypothetical fit and overlook established production.
Fans often fall in love with the idea of “what could be” while minimizing “what already is.”
Simons’ scoring highlights and untapped potential make him a fascinating player, but the leap from “talented guard” to “franchise-level scorer on a contender” is enormous.
Brown has already made that leap, and dismissing him in favor of a speculative projection does a disservice to his career trajectory.
Ultimately, suggesting Simons would lead Boston in points ignores Jaylen Brown’s presence not just as a scorer, but as a cornerstone of one of the NBA’s premier franchises.
Brown has earned his place through years of steady improvement, consistent production, and clutch performances on the biggest stage.
While Simons is an exciting player with immense talent, the Celtics are not a blank canvas waiting for a new star to emerge.
They are a championship-caliber team with clearly defined leaders, and Jaylen Brown is firmly entrenched among them.
So while debates about hypothetical trades and scoring hierarchies can be fun, they should be grounded in respect for what players have already accomplished.
In this case, the conversation should not revolve around whether Simons could surpass Brown, but rather how a player of Simons’ skill set might complement Boston’s established stars.
To ignore Jaylen Brown in this equation is to ignore reality itself.
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