Boston Celtics: 2 core-splitting offseason deals Cs should pursue
An Indy blockbuster
The Boston Celtics core would be detonated with this deal, sending out Gordon Hayward and Marcus Smart, two players who have started for the Cs for different stints…but were usually never starters at the same time.
Meanwhile, the Indiana Pacers would package 3/5ths of their starting lineup and send them to Boston, helping form a new core with the remaining trio of Kemba Walker, Jaylen Brown, and Jayson Tatum.
Why the Boston Celtics do it
Victor Oladipo is the best player in this trade, meaning he is the most likely player of anyone to elevate the C’s window, which appears set at the Eastern Conference finals based on the past four seasons.
Adding Myles Turner as the starting center solidifies them, and T.J. Warren as a sixth man would significantly strengthen the team’s ability to float when the starters take a breather.
Why the Indiana Pacers do it
Victor Oladipo and Myles Turner were both rumored to want out of the Hoosier State, so shipping them in a deal together that nets them one of the league’s best bargain contracts in Marcus Smart as well as a pair of first-round draft picks would be a win-win for a situation that could be a lot worse.