Boston Celtics: 6 NBA bubble breakouts worth monitoring

Players for Celtics to keep tabs on in NBA bubble: T.J. Warren

We’ve thrown out the idea of a Gordon Hayward trade to the Indiana Pacers on a few different occasions. In any such deal, the primary return has always included some combination of Myles Turner and T.J. Warren.

Turner has long been seen as the superior asset in such a swap, and he would immediately be plugged in at the starting center position. Warren is closing the gap with his play, with his 53-point explosion on 20/29 shooting overall and a blistering 9/12 from the 3-point line standing out as one of the bubble’s best early performances.

Players for Celtics to keep tabs on in NBA bubble: Gary Trent Jr.

The Boston Celtics saw firsthand what kind of damage Gary Trent Jr. could cause when he gets hot from the field. Portland’s second-year 3-point specialist shot 7/11 from beyond the arc in a 21-point second unit masterpiece.

If the Blazers decided to tear it down in the offseason they could seek one of Boston’s first-round draft picks. A swap for the Duke product would be a surefire way to add needed shooting off the bench.

Players for Celtics to keep tabs on in NBA bubble: Cam Johnson

Incompetent franchises do incompetent things. After the Phoenix Suns took the 24-year-old in the draft, many questioned drafting a player with a lower floor but a higher upside. After playing all four years in college, Johnson was perhaps a safer pick… making him a better fit for a contender.

Boston can offer the chance to draft several players younger than Johnson, which could be a good pitch to a rebuilding team known for short-sighted deals (see: Warren, T.J.). Adding a versatile athlete in Johnson–who recently went off for 19 points, 12 rebounds and four assists–could be a stealthy trade by Danny Ainge that could move the needle if he can continue to splash home 3-pointers at a 40 percent clip.