As the Boston Celtics enter the All-Star break, the biggest question surrounding the team – despite a disastrous series, broken by a three-game winning streak – is whether Danny Ainge the team’s record exception (TPE) of $ 28.5 million traded (TPE) will use the deadline.
Ainge claimed he could kick the can after the off-season, and we discuss that here, as well as some pros and cons of trading five of the most players by fans and analysts.
Nikola Vucevic, Orlando
The case for: This is one of the simplest: Vucevic is a very good attacking player. He is not as good a passer as Al Horford proved during his Celtics period, but he will give Boston an important piece he does not currently have. His contract drops slightly in structure and ends at $ 22 million in 2023. A small amount of salary will have to disappear, but Orlando will presumably demand players who would make the difference anyway.
The case against: The Magic will probably need to be fueled. A lot of teams will be interested, so the Celtics will probably have to beat other offers, which will probably require a lot of choices. How far are you willing to pledge the future for a great man, especially with Robert Williams already on the list? Williams’ play recently indicates that he will need less big men in front of him in the rotation, no more.
Harrison Barnes, Sacramento
The case for: Barnes is one of the most popular potential Celtics targets. He’s a veteran who won a title as an appetizer, and he looks like he’s a big citizen even in the rebuilding Kings. He also had a solid season with 16.6 points per game, 40.3 percent 3-point shooting and bounced back from a recent cold stretch. If Walker’s recent boom for the rest of the year is real and sustainable, make another big wing that can shoot, create a little and defend a great sense for the Celtics. Barnes’ contract drops over the next two years and ends at a relatively friendly $ 18.5 million at age 30.
Meanwhile, Sacramento fell off a cliff and lost nine of its last ten. The Kings may be willing to sell soon.
The case against: Barnes’ deal would eat up almost the entire TPE of Boston. Are the Celtics confident that Barnes would solve all their problems? On paper, he makes a lot of sense, but his timeline is not perfect with Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. It’s not the end of the world if he’s helped make the Celtics a contender, but if Danny Ainge has bigger goals this summer, Barnes may not fit what he wants to do.
Aaron Gordon, Orlando
The case for: The Magic seems to like Gordon’s defense – he’s versatile with great athletics and a 7 – foot wingspan. Offensively, he shot a career high of 36.9 percent from the three-point series and scored 46.7 percent of his catch-and-shoot triplets, according to NBA statistics. Gordon is 25, just a year older than Jaylen Brown, and therefore fits Boston’s timeline better than Harrison Barnes.
Meanwhile, his contract drops year by year and fits comfortably within the Celtics’ TPE. In theory, Boston would not even have to swap a player to make it work, although Orlando would obviously demand players in exchange for Gordon.
The case against: Gordon may be back in the series by the time of the trade date after suffering a single injury from 4 to 6 weeks on February 1, but the Celtics want to have confidence in his health before the play-off rounds. Orlando’s demand is also likely to be high – hyper-athletic, versatile forwards are not cheap.
How does the Celtics also trust that Gordon’s shooting numbers are real? Before this year, he had never shot 35 percent from depth and had some disastrous seasons (last year’s 30.8 point is nerve-wracking).
Thaddeus Young, Chicago
The case for: Do you want a reliable veteran? They do not become much more reliable than the 32-year-old Thad Young, who was everywhere and saw everything. Young is not a floor distance, but he’s shooting 60 percent off the floor this season with a variety of brackets and odd shots in the paint, and he’s a reliable cutter. Interestingly, forwards, he averaged 4.4 assists and just 1.9 times per game. Defensively, he can cover several positions.
Young earns about $ 13.5 million, so he fits comfortably into Boston’s TPE and could be part of a multi-movement deadline. His contract is partially guaranteed at $ 6 million next season.
The case against: Do the Celtics need more? It would certainly help to get Marcus Smart back, but to trade Gordon Hayward for a year or two from Thad Young would be a big loss for the Celtics, and Danny Ainge seems to be a little bigger, and Young is maybe too far. outside the Celtics’ timeline.
Larry Nance Jr., Cleveland
The case for: Nance is another loose forward who can defend multiple positions well, and is a smart, opportunistic scorer who probably won’t have much trouble using with a trio of stars. He shoots 38.1 percent from the 3-point mark and just under 66 percent around the edge.
The case against: Nance is an odd bad throw-shooter – he makes 57.1 percent of his efforts this season.
Realistically, the only other issue against Nance is that he’s probably not a make-or-break prospect. He helps in very small ways, but the 18-17 Celtics feel like they need someone to help in big ways. If Boston could find a way to acquire Nance and another impact player, he would be a great addition.
Do nothing
The case for: Is the Celtics a brand not to compete this year? If not, the player they acquire will have to help them improve now and continue to be a great asset in the future if they continue with team building. Will such a player be available before the deadline?
The case against: As Ryan Bernardoni pointed out, the trading market could dry up quickly this summer, and trading now ensures an extra post-season with the player on the rankings. If the player expires, this is now the only way to trade them. The Celtics will also lose their TPE if they do not use it this summer. Other teams might benefit.
Other options
It’s your reminder that Danny Ainge almost always has out-of-the-box ideas and that any list of players seems to be missing his real target. The Celtics will almost certainly use the TPE, but expect the unexpected.
The trade deadline is March 25.
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