Would it make sense to trade one of the Celtics core players for a reunion with Portland Trail Blazers center Robert Williams III? And does the front office value cap space enough to send out Simons with a draft pick to get below the tax line to reset the NBA's punitive repeater tax?

There have been some pleasant surprises. The Pistons have a firm grip on the No. 1 seed, and the Celtics have been impressive without Jayson Tatum. Some other contenders, like the Knicks, Cavaliers, Magic and Hawks, have all had disappointing stretches through the season's first two-plus months.

But Boston has since charged back to the top of the East standings, rising as high as No. 2 in their conference under the leadership of star forward Jaylen Brown, the returning vets, and the growth of the Celtics' youth movement. Is winning the conference actually on the table?

Player props are available for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Kevin Durant, among others, when the Oklahoma City Thunder visit the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. ET. NBA odds courtesy of BetMGM Sportsbook.

The trade rumors around Anfernee Simons have been swirling ever since the Celtics landed the former Blazers guard in June in exchange for Jrue Holiday. The 27-year-old arrived in Boston as a veteran on a pricey expiring contract and was set to play a reserve role for the first time in four seasons.