Boston Celtics: 4 Pistons Cs could target with trade exception

Wayne Ellington

The Houdini has long been enamored with Wayne Ellington. Back before the 2019 offseason, I saw him as a potential fit with the pre-Jayson Tatum ascension Boston Celtics:

"Ellington is a pure sharpshooting 3-point specialist. He can shoot off the dribble but he is best as a catch-and-shoot sniper. The Celtics may or may not have an elite point guard if Kyrie Irving leaves, but with Brad Stevens always being able to keep his teams focused and engaged, it’s unlikely Ellington will have a hard time getting attempts up. What makes Ellington such an impressive shooter is how well he shoots given his volume. This past season he shot 37% from beyond the arc in seven shot attempts. That’s an average of six to nine points per game coming by way of the long ball. If the Celtics can get Ellington with a portion of their mid-level exception, he is a no-brainer for any team."

Luckily, since this piece has been written, Ellington’s value has dropped because of a bad season with a bad team (the New York Knicks) and he no longer seems worthy of the mid-level exception. I am not holding last season against the 33-year-old sniper, though, because he is sure to rebuild his value some as one of the only shooters on a poorly constructed Pistons roster.

Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk

Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk (say that 10x fast, or even one time correctly) is a Ukrainian sharpshooter sent to the United States to get buckets. Last season, he was an elite 3-point shooter, averaging two makes per game on 40 percent shooting.

Being that Blake Griffin was out most of the year and their other star, Andre Drummond, was traded to the Cavaliers for a bag of potato chips, Mykhailiuk averaging that in the Moto City means he would thrive in Beantown alongside a roster that is better suited for his complementary talents.