If there is a roster teardown coming in Toronto, the Boston Celtics should consider acquiring Marc Gasol

Despite being the defending NBA Champions, the Toronto Raptors don’t seem likely to repeat their run at the top of the Eastern Conference. If there is a roster teardown coming, the Boston Celtics should pounce and acquire their starting center.

The Houdini has been rolling out ideas to solve the Boston Celtics center conundrum left and right. Karl Anthony-Towns was mentioned as an ideal option, and he still is. Minnesota may not be willing to budge and trade away their franchise big man, especially considering the decade-long futility that followed after the Kevin Garnett trade.

The Indiana Pacers may also be more inclined to make the Myles Turner-Domantas Sabonis front-court work if they continue yielding positive results. If that is the case with Minnesota and Indiana, the top two center targets could be off the board.

Adding either 2015 first round draft selection would give Beantown it’s final missing piece for not just this season — but beyond. Still, there are realistic options for the Boston Celtics to find a reliable option this season.

One of the top gettable trade targets could be Marc Gasol. While the Toronto Raptors did just hoist their first Larry O’Brien trophy in June, the same results aren’t expected this season. Kawhi Leonard’s departure should send the Raptors down the standings to the middle of the pack.

However, if they fall further than that, it is likely that Masai Ujiri would sell off several of their veterans to kickstart a new era in Raptors basketball. That sort of fire-sale would greatly benefit the Boston Celtics.

If Toronto were to be rapidly accelerating a rebuild, it is likely Gasol, Kyle Lowry and Serge Ibaka would all be goners. With multiple negotiations going on at once (let’s say hypothetically at the February trade deadline) the price for these guys would likely go down. Remember, this isn’t Paul George or Russell Westbrook. Ujiri is unlikely to get many first round draft choices with that trio.

If that is the case, Danny Ainge could pick the bones and add Gasol to a lineup that is already built to win now. Remember, Gasol was a popular trade target for the Charlotte Hornets this past trade deadline. The idea of pairing him with new Boston Celtics point guard Kemba Walker has already been put out in the universe.

Ultimately, the price to acquire Gasol shouldn’t be much. If it means moving on from Gordon Hayward’s contract, so be it. Gasol is now a proven winner who buoyed the Memphis Grizzlies during the “Grit-n-Grind” era.

If the mantra “defense wins championships” means anything (it does), Enes Kanter is not the starting center needed to make it happen. Gasol can be.

It there is a fire-sale in Toronto, expect the Celtics to inquire about the FIBA World Champion and 3x All-Star Gasol.