Boston Celtics: 3 Clippers trades if LA blows up core

Center swap

The first deal isn’t exactly a core-splitter for either franchise. The Clippers would simply be looking to regain draft capital after relinquishing so much to the Oklahoma City Thunder last summer. In the meantime, they’d be acquiring a low-cost shooter in Carsen Edwards and add a go-to second-unit scoring option in Enes Kanter (assuming he opts into his team option for 2020-21).

Zubac himself is a middling asset, but he can be used in aggregation with other salaries to acquire more of an impact player. This move would be somewhat of a rebuilding move for the Clippers, who would essentially be swapping three years of Zubac for a contract year Kanter making less. The primary assets for the Clippers are the first-round pick and Edwards.

Both assets at this point are relatively low-risk, high-reward, the exact kind of players Los Angeles should be looking to acquire after getting no reward for taking a severely high-stakes gamble last July.

For the Boston Celtics, this would help appease their roster questions by consolidating three spots for one. Zubac’s $7 million salary is one they wouldn’t be able to pay incoming free agents, and it could also be used in a trade down the road if the team wants to commit big money to Daniel Theis.

In the scenario that Theis prices himself out of Boston with a surreal 2020-21 season, Zubac would be your hedge. If the same thing happens when Robert Williams is due for an extension, Zubac remains your hedge.