Boston Celtics: Ranking Cs among the J.J. Redick trade destinations

2. Boston Celtics

While I’d love to sit here and say that the Boston Celtics have the best trade package available to land Redick, like Abe Lincoln, I cannot tell a lie.

In theory, the Cs do have the best return for New Orleans. Shooting comes at a premium, and Boston does have aces in the hole in rookies Payton Pritchard and Aaron Nesmith.

Danny Ainge (and any sane person in the same scenario) would hang up the phone if New Orleans tried to pry away either 2020 first-round draft pick, though.

That leaves future first-round picks and several young guns from the 2018 and 2019 drafts for the taking. The Pelicans probably aren’t going to bite on an offer that includes just one of a group that includes Romeo Langford, Grant Williams, and Robert Williams. Including several from the aforementioned group would destroy the C’s depth and be seen as a short-sighted move that sacrifices future gains for going all-in this season (Redick reenters free agency after 2020-21).

Aka not something Ainge has ever been known to do.

While the Cs can offer New Orleans cap relief with a deal that includes just draft picks and would create a $13 million trade exception for the Pelicans to use for the next calendar year, there is one trade partner better-suited to fit their needs…