Boston Celtics: 3 players Cs could trade their 2020 picks for

Mo Bamba, C

Number of picks needed in a deal: 2

You KNEW this was coming. Franky, how could we write an article discussing deals the Boston Celtics could make and not include Orlando Magic sophomore center Mo Bamba.

For those of you who don’t know, we talk about this idea quite a lot.

Wasting away behind the face of the franchise Nikola Vucevic on the depth chart, Bamba might be a player who could benefit from a change of scenery.

The former sixth overall pick back in 2018 has started just one game during his two-year career, and averages only 15.3 minutes during this span. In just 14.5 minutes of play throughout the 2019-20 season, Bamba has posted averages of 5.5 points, five boards, and 1.4 blocks per game on 47 percent shooting from the field and 36 percent shooting from deep.

Are these stats eye-popping? Of course not!

However, convert these numbers into per-36 minute averages and we see the 21-year-old averaging 13.8 points, 12.4 rebounds, and a whopping 3.5 blocks per game.

Yes, we know what your followup to this will be: you can’t base a player’s potential on per-36 minute averages.

We totally agree with that. However, it’s not just these conversions that have us believe he has the potential to produce productively with more minutes… it’s his actual production when given more minutes.

When registering 20-29 minutes in a game this season — albeit on just four occasions — Bamba has been an absolute beast in regard to offensive and defensive efficiency. In this minute range, the 7-footer has averaged 10 points, 6.8 rebounds & 2.5 blocks per game on 52 percent shooting from the floor, an unbelievable 70 percent shooting from deep and a box plus/ minus rating of 5.8.

Look, we can sit here and argue that Bamba, despite being in the NBA for two years now, is still unproven.

However, you know who else is unproven in the NBA? All of the players who have declared for the NBA Draft.

Look, we’re not suggesting the C’s give up all of their picks. Instead, if they could make the numbers work in contract swaps and send over two of their picks, it might be enough to entice the Magic to accept the deal, considering they already have Vucevic and the young and, to this point, more productive big in Johnathan Issac already ahead of him in the pecking order.