I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: the James Harden trade should force every single Eastern Conference contender–including, and most notably the Boston Celtics–to reassess their roster.
Said another way: the Boston Celtics need to make a move to stay competitive after the Brooklyn Nets landed a third All-NBA superstar.
Yesterday, I penned a piece about four Cs that could be traded by March’s trade deadline, and today I figured I’d deliver on some deals that I hinted at in the article:
Why the Boston Celtics do it
As I mentioned in my piece yesterday, the Celtics’ roster doesn’t have the same need for Tremont Waters as it may have once had once upon a time:
"After drafting Payton Pritchard–and Pritchard turning out to be even better than his draft position would have indicated–the Boston Celtics now have considerably less of a need for Tremont Waters on the roster."
That said, Waters has value as a playmaker, even one that is undersized for the NBA. He has shown in flashes that his dominance in SEC play in 2018-19 could translate into a bigger role. That role won’t come in Boston.
In lieu of that, the Cs could do well to add an athletic wing in Tyler Bey who had a 55/42/74 shooting split in his final season at the University of Colorado.
Why the Dallas Mavericks do it
Outside of Luka Doncic, the Mavericks roster only has two other traditional point guards: Trey Burke and Tyrell Terry.
Simply put, it wouldn’t hurt to have more point guards on hand just in case either option doesn’t pan out. Dallas can grab a second-round pick for their troubles.
Why the Boston Celtics do it
Aaron Gordon’s game seems best predicated in a lineup where he can be one of several wing threats capable of creating their own shots.
He has never experienced that in Orlando, where he has oftentimes had to create his own shot without the benefit of a playmaking point guard. No, Shelvin Mack doesn’t apply.
Being deployed interchangeably with Jayson Tatum at the power forward spot can allow Gordon to blow by wings, while Mo Bamba could also step into the starting center role.
Why the Orlando Magic do it
With Markelle Fultz and Jonathan Isaac out for the season (both with ACL tears), the Orlando Magic could choose to pivot and deal some of their veterans. Aaron Gordon is an asset that may not garner much of a return on his own merits but partnered with the underutilized Mo Bamba, the pair could draw several future first-rounders and a recent first-round pick from the 2020 NBA Draft in Aaron Nesmith.
Romeo Langford could also see a boost in value with a change of scenery after struggling to see the court in Boston.
Why the Boston Celtics do it
At this point in the 2020-21 campaign, it is fair to say that Zach LaVine has surpassed Kemba Walker in terms of production on the court. LaVine is scoring 27 points (on 50/39/86 splits) while collecting five assists and five rebounds, which are benchmarks Walker has never reached.
Lauri Markkanen is similarly having a career-best season, with 19 points and seven rebounds on 40% efficiency from the 3-point line. That’s elite shooting for a big-man.
Thaddeus Young is a nice utility hand to deploy as a small-ball big, and Cristiano Felicio is a big physical body the team can strategically match up against bulkier frontcourts with.
Why the Chicago Bulls do it
Chicago has seen big improvements from their core in 2020-21, but if the season ended today, they wouldn’t be one in any of the seven locked-in playoff spots, and through tiebreakers, wouldn’t even qualify for the postseason at all.
Granted, it’s early on in the campaign, but the Bulls have failed to get it done with this core for as long as LaVine and Markkanen have been in Chi-Town.
Getting a franchise point guard in Walker (who has a tristate NY connection with head coach Billy Donovan) could help to change the immediate direction of the franchise.
That it could come with a 2019 lottery pick (Langford) and several future firsts makes this a palatable deal for both sides.