Does an Aron Baynes reunion make sense for the Boston Celtics?

Aron Baynes was a physical and hardworking player during his two-year tenure in Beantown. The Boston Celtics traded Baynes to the Phoenix Suns during last year’s draft and he could be on the move again as we approach the February 6th trade deadline.

Former Boston Celtics big Aron Baynes is nearing the end of his contract and he currently backs up DeAndre Ayton, who the Suns selected first overall in the 2018 NBA Draft. Baynes is clearly an asset for the Suns, but they could look to trade him if their focus is still on the future.

The Celtics sit in third place in the Eastern Conference and it is fair to wonder if they will make a move before the deadline to bolster their roster. Baynes would not be my top choice for the Boston, but I still believe he could give this team a better shot at success down the road.

Anyone who watches the Boston Celtics knows they could use more size and strength inside and that is exactly what Baynes brings to the table.

While the C’s haven’t struggled in the rebounding department this season, they have not been great. This team relies of the athleticism of Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Gordon Hayward to stay competitive on the glass.

Enes Kanter is the only true big man that consistently plays for Boston. Daniel Theis is also a factor down low, but it is hard to ask a 6-8 player to match up against some of the elite front court players of the East.

I am still of the belief that the Milwaukee Bucks and Philadelphia 76ers will be the toughest competition for the Celtics come playoff time. These teams have a size and strength advantage over Boston and a player like Baynes can start to bridge that gap.

Having an extra body down low will certainly take pressure off Kanter and Theis as they try to defend the front courts of Milwaukee and Philadelphia.

Baynes will also be helpful on the offensive end to go along with his defense and rebounding. Baynes has over doubled his points per game from last season and he is more willing to take outside shots.

With all this being said, I’m not sure this will be enough to put Boston atop the Eastern Conference. The Bucks appear to be a few steps above rest of the conference and a healthy 76ers team will also be a force in the postseason.

In the end, it makes sense for the Boston Celtics to have a reunion with Aron Baynes, but I don’t believe it puts them in a position to win a championship this season. Acquiring Kevin Love is a different story, but that would require giving up more pieces.

Boston stayed quiet at the trade deadline last season. Now we will see if Danny Ainge tries to improve this team before the playoffs or wait for a better opportunity in future seasons.