Are Jordan Mickey and Terry Rozier On the Block?

It’s no secret that the Boston Celtics have an unprecedented collection of assets and that starts with their ridiculous amount of draft picks. The Celtics have also done a great job of assembling great young and promising prospects and if Danny Ainge is interested in making a block buster trade, two of their youngest and brightest players will be coveted, Jordan Mickey and Terry Rozier.

According to Chris Forsberg of ESPN, Danny Ainge has revealed that teams have inquired about Mickey and Rozier, and if its the right situation, Ainge will certainly listen. Of course, arguably the two most promising prospects on the Celtics will not be moved easily. Ainge also talked about the importance of patience with these young players and they are certainly a part of the Celtics’ plans for the future. However, if the right offer is on the table, the Celtics might have to part ways with at least one of the two, especially if they still have their sights set on the likes of Paul George and Jimmy Butler (trading for that kind of player will involve them, but will also require a lot more than just Mickey/Rozier).

If the question is whether or not Danny Ainge is actively shopping Rozier and Mickey, the answer is no. Mickey is the most important piece of the front court currently on the roster and Rozier did a lot more than anyone expected his rookie year, and was, by far, the best rookie on the Celtics. The two of them are certainly a part of the Celtics’ plans for the future and it really should not come as a surprise that teams are inquiring about them.

Ainge has said, on multiple occasions, that this is going to be an active offseason for the Celtics. His willingness to trade in the past means that as promising as Rozier and Mickey are, they are certainly not safe. The Celtics have made it clear that they want to get that transcendent player and if that means trading up in the draft or going after an established player, chances are they will have to part ways with one of or both Rozier and Mickey, even if they are not going out of their way to sell them.

Rozier and Mickey are not on the trading block in the sense that Ainge is actively looking to trade them, but the more teams come asking about them, the more likely Ainge is to get a deal done that will give the Celtics that high end talent that they are lacking. There is no doubting that if Ainge believe he can get that transcendent talent, he will be willing to part ways with both Rozier and Mickey

Trading Rozier may make more sense for the Celtics, but his price may actually be higher right now. With injury troubles Rozier was given an opportunity to get significant playing time this season. While he never had an impact on the offensive end, Rozier made it clear that he will have a chance to be a force in the NBA and is already a capable player in multiple areas. Mickey, on the other hand, who still has higher potential, has a lot more uncertainty at the NBA level.

Rozier has elite potential as a rebounder and plays with the unbelievable intensity and energy that the Celtics flourished with this season. With uncertainty around the future of both Avery Bradley and Evan Turner the Celtics could see their guard depth disintegrate quickly. As it stands now, Rozier is the one in line to take over a prominent role and that could happen even if Bradley and Turner stay with the Celtics.

Rozier, like many other Celtics, appears to be a better offensive impact away from being the exact kind of guard that they need. His aggressiveness is necessary but until he manages to finish better, there will be questions about his future. That being said, the Celtics were higher on Rozier than most in the draft and with the progress he made his rookie season, it is hard to imagine the Celtics finding a deal that will include trading Rozier. The Celtics have enough assets that giving up one of the most valuable pieces on their team will only happen if it involves a player that the Celtics believe will propel them to a contender, and those kinds of deals are always difficult to work out.

Mickey remains the biggest mystery on the Celtics. He never cracked a consistent spot in the rotation but it feels as though he is still the best young prospect that the Celtics have. His ability to be a rim protector as a small ball forward is going to become more and more valuable in the modern NBA and he has all the potential to grow as an offensive force.

The reason why Mickey may be even less likely to be traded than Rozier is because of the void in their front court. The Celtics love what Rozier can give them but they have other options in the back court. The front court, however, has very little promise outside of Mickey.

Mickey and Rozier are far too important to the Celtics’ future for Ainge to actively look to trade them. The standing plan should be to see what they are capable of developing into and, even if it may take longer, Rozier and Mickey may have the best upside out of any players on the Celtics.

Chances are the Celtics will not find a trade partner that will be perfect enough that Rozier or Mickey will be involved in the trade. That being said, Ainge has revealed what players teams will be looking at if they want to get a deal done with the Celtics.

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Rozier and Mickey have already become two of the most important and intriguing players on the Celtics and anything short of an established transcendent player (which would certainly cost much more than just the prospects), means Rozier and Mickey will have a chance to be a part of the long term future of the Celtics. Teams have expressed their interest, but Ainge is likely to keep Rozier and Mickey far away from the trading block.