Boston Celtics: 3 high-impact trades involving C’s starters

Trade involving Boston Celtics starter No. 3) Gordon Hayward to Indiana

This is not the first time we’ve discussed a deal between the Boston Celtics and Indiana Pacers and, quite frankly, it likely will not be our last. Earlier in the week, we discussed 3 ways in which the Cs could position themselves to win banner number 18 before the Los Angeles Lakers. One of said routes we recommended them taking is to look to move Gordon Hayward:

"Another year, another postseason in which Gordon Hayward did not show up. Look, I understand this phrasing may be harsh, as it is most certainly not his fault that his tenure with the Boston Celtics has been ravaged by injuries — last season, while he was physically healthy, mentally he obviously was not back –, but the fact still remains, since signing his lucrative $128M contract back in the summer of 2017 the one-time All-Star has brought them no closer to winning a title than they were prior to his arrival."

This deal, in particular, is certainly one that the team should consider making this offseason.

When discussing this exact trade earlier in the month, we couldn’t help but feel it addresses the main weak spots within the C’s rotation: center depth and offensive production off the pine:

"Myles Turner may not be the biggest name at his position, but he certainly is one that fits Boston’s scheme quite nicely — perhaps even better than Theis. On the season, the 23-year-old big posted solid averages of 12.1 points, 6.6 rebounds, 1.2 assists, and a whopping 2.1 blocks per game on 46 percent shooting from the floor and 34 percent shooting from deep. Unlike some of our own deals we’ve created to try and improve the center spot, this trade actually sees Theis staying in tow. A rotation consisting of both the Turner and the German Hammer is easily one that presents a deep and sound combination of both defensive and floor spacing abilities. Not only does this trade address the C’s weakness at the pivot, but it also addresses their lackadaisical second unit scoring punch — ranked 29th in points per game (28.5), 28th in 3-point percentage (31.8), and 20th in offensive rating (53.6) — by adding two offensive-minded role players in Jeremy Lamb (12.5 PPG in 2019-20) and Doug McDermott (10.3 points on 43 percent shooting from deep in 2019-20)."

If ever there were a trade involving a Boston Celtics starter, it should easily be this one.