Boston Celtics: 3 trades for Carsen Edwards-Semi Ojeleye package

Why the Boston Celtics do it

The traded player exception the Boston Celtics acquired in the Gordon Hayward sign-and-trade is the team’s ticket to landing a difference-maker in the lineup. Danny Ainge knows (or at least thinks he knows) he doesn’t need such a player to win, so perhaps he can find someone to bolster the bench instead.

Julius Randle certainly qualifies as such. Miscast as a star in the Mecca, Randle has failed in his role as the top option in the Knicks’ offense. Granted, he did have two different head coaches in his first season in orange and blue, but he should have known that signing on the dotted line with the New York Knicks is the best way to play through as much dysfunction as humanly possible in a basketball organization.

Randle would be a worthy player to absorb into the TPE, and he could be the team’s point forward for the second unit. Omari Spellman is a throw-in to this trade, though he can provide depth in the frontcourt as Tristan Thompson recovers from an injury.

Why the New York Knicks do it

Getting a first-round pick, even if it is in the late ’20s, is the exact move the New York Knicks need to make moving forward. Randle didn’t move the needle forward enough for the team to justify his deal, and even though they could cut him with no repercussions next season, they would be better off acquiring an asset while they can.