Boston Celtics: 3 realistic players to trade for using each first-round pick

Player the Boston Celtics could trade for with No. 30 pick: Nemanja Bjelica

Possessing both an underrated name and game, Nemanja Bjelica would be an absolute gem for this Boston Celtics roster to have, and one that could be had with a few simple salary-matches and the No. 30 overall pick in this year’s draft.

Just a few months back, our sister-site A Royal Pain even discussed the idea of a trade between Beantown and the Sacramento Kings involving the Serbian-born big man.

Writer Anthony Cardenas proposed a deal that involved the C’s No. 30 overall selection, Semi Ojeleye, and Vincent Poirier in exchange for Bjelica. Should the Cs opt to pick up the final year of Ojeleye’s deal this offseason, the proposed deal could still be executed and, according to Cardenas, it might behoove the Kings to swap the former second-round pick for “more ammunition” in 2020’s first-round.

In year five of his NBA career, the 32-year-old produced career highs all across the board. Through 72 games, Bjelica posted impressive averages of 11.5 points, 6.4 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and just over half a block per game on 48 percent shooting from the floor and 42 percent shooting from deep.

Adding his game to the frontcourt would be a blessing for the team’s lackadaisical center rotation, and it would also help improve their bench scoring production, which ranked 29th in points per game (28.5), 28th in 3-point percentage (31.8), and 20th in offensive rating (53.6).