Boston Celtics: 2 potential Buddy Hield trade packages
C’s trade No. 1) Hield and a backup point guard for Hayward
The first return here is a swap of Buddy Hield and backup point guard Corey Joseph for Gordon Hayward and the least valuable of all the Boston Celtics’ 2020 first round draft picks.
Why the Boston Celtics do it
Hayward is the best player in the deal–at least according to past accomplishments–but Hield and Joseph would immediately boost the Cs bench in a big way, with Marcus Smart’s ascent into the starting lineup full-time being another side effect.
Hield would replace the second unit 3-point shooting lost by Smart’s starting lineup promotion and the likely free-agent departure of Semi Ojeleye. Joseph would be a more reliable backup than Brad Wanamaker and the 2019 second-round draft pick duo of Carsen Edwards and Tremont Waters.
Why the Sacramento Kings do it
Hield is unhappy and Joseph makes a lot of money for a backup point guard on a non-contender. It’d be easy to justify a potential one-year fix with Hayward becoming the centerpiece of their offense, especially if that came along with a first-round draft pick.
Adding a cheap talent and an expiring deal is a solid rebuilding move for a Kings team that would trick itself into thinking they were the ones getting the better end of this deal…I mean they arguably could be if the pick pans out, but this fills a more immediate need for both teams.