NBA Trade Rumors: Could The Celtics Be After Tyson Chandler?

Phoenix Suns center Tyson Chandler is on the open market as we approach Thursday’s trade deadline. Could the Celtics be on the prowl for him?

The pipe dreams of a legion of Boston Celtics fans fell through the cracks following Sunday night’s NBA All-Star Game, as the New Orleans Pelicans swiped center DeMarcus Cousins off of the trade market in exchange for a collection of assets.

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While it has been rumored by a plethora of sources that the Celtics brass did not desire to acquire Cousins in the first place, the trade deadline still remains a few distant days away, and Boston’s rebounding issue continues to glare. Coming out of the All-Star break, the Celtics own the fifth-worst rebounding differential in the league (-3.6) while their total rebound percentage of 47.9 percent places them in the bottom five of the NBA as well.

If Boston is serious about on convincing the masses what Dallas Mavericks head coach Rick Carlisle uttered following his team’s 111-98 loss to The Green on February 13 after the former Celtics guard stated that Boston could be a title contender, general manager Danny Ainge must garner a big man to shore up their issues on the boards. Unfortunately, the Mavericks are not hellbent on helping the Celtics achieve this feat, as they have pulled center Andrew Bogut off of the trade market.

However, one efficient rebounder who still remains on the open market is Phoenix Suns center Tyson Chandler. The Suns have iterated their interest in shelling out the contracts of Chandler, small forward P.J. Tucker, and Brandon Knight in exchange for depth in the draft. While Tucker has commanded considerable interest from Boston due to his effective defensive abilities both on the perimeter and in defending power forwards, Chandler could be a fit for the Celtics with his rebounding prowess.

Chandler has emerged as the primary reason why Phoenix has recorded the eight-best rebounding differential in the league this season. His 14.9 rebounds per 36 minutes is the highest mark of his lengthy career, and he currently ranks eighth in the NBA with 11.9 rebounds per game despite playing an average of just 27.9 minutes.

Chandler’s total rebound percentage of 22.9 percent is astoundingly high, and his impressive defensive rebound percentage of 33.7 percent is the fourth-highest mark in the league. In comparison, Al Horford and Amir Johnson, the Celtics’ starting front court tandem, has recorded total rebound percentages of 11.5 percent and 13 percent, respectively. He has proven his effectiveness on the offensive glass as well, piling up the ninth-best offensive rebound percentage in the NBA (12.8 percent).

With the Suns requesting draft selections in return, the Celtics have loads of ammunition stocked up to finish off a trade of this caliber. They could hand Phoenix a future first-round pick, such as the Memphis Grizzlies‘ 2019 selection, and an expiring contract such as that of Johnson or small forward Jonas Jerebko in return.

However, Chandler would come with some strings attached, as he is due $13 million over each of the following two seasons. The veteran would not be due to hit unrestricted free agency until after the 2018-19 season. Additionally, his offensive arsenal is limited, as he is incapable of spreading the floor, an attribute that Ainge actively seeks out when constructing a roster. This is precisely the reason why power forward Jordan Mickey scarcely sees the floor despite his total rebound percentage coming in at a higher rate than both Horford and Johnson.

Next: Trade Rumor: Boston Celtics Show Interest in P.J Tucker

While Chandler can run the pick-and-roll and catch lobs with relative ease, the ability to use him in a pick-and-pop situation with point guard Isaiah Thomas is negligible. Chandler’s defender would not have to respect his ability to hit an outside shot, allowing him to clog the lane and prevent Thomas from receiving a clean look at the basket. Therefore, Chandler could become an offensive liability, the downside in adding the big man prior to the deadline.