Danny Ainge gave a quotable quote that the Houdini…quoted, regarding the Boston Celtics’ search for an upgrade before the first March trade deadline since the lockout-shortened 2012 NBA season (originally via boston.com):
"Ainge was pressed on what he thinks the Celtics’ top need is currently. “I would say maybe shooting with size,” he replied. “There are a lot of different ways that you can win in this league,” said Ainge when asked specifically why he felt that way, “but I would say that shooting, we could use shooting, we could use passing, but you always need defense."
That got me thinking what exactly that meant:
"To recap, Ainge wants a big man that can also shoot. Whether that means a tweener forward, or a more traditional big man is unclear."
And it got me thinking about what traditional big men (floor-spacing) the Cs could add in the frontcourt to space the floor:
Boston Celtics traditional shooting big man #1: Ersan Ilyasova
Ersan Ilyasova would serve as the last wave-producing of any splash Danny Ainge can make of the players on this list, but he is still a possible addition that could bring balance to the lineup–at least in spurts.
While Ilyasova’s rebounding numbers wowed on the surface, he actually averaged a tick under nine boards per game per-36 minutes. His career 36.5% conversion rate from beyond the arc makes him a multi-use veteran that could bring postseason experience to a Celtics roster that always seems to get younger.
As a short-term addition in a pandemic season that may lead to expanded rosters, he could bring value to the Boston Celtics second-unit and provide spot starts when called upon.
Boston Celtics traditional shooting big man #2: Davis Bertans
Here he is again. Davis Bertans will be an HH trade target until he is traded away from the Washington Wizards or the Cs use their trade exception on someone else.
And maybe even after that.
It just doesn’t seem likely that the Washington Wizards will climb out of the Eastern Conference cellar based on who is ahead of them. Hope springs eternal in places like Cleveland and even New York more than it does in D.C. at the moment.
Bertans’ 3-point percentage has fallen off a cliff in 2020-21, and his contract is looking a bit too albatross-Esque for comfort. It would look far better as essentially house money for Boston at the moment.
Who knows? He may even regain his stroke in green and white.
Boston Celtics traditional shooting big man #3: Zach Collins
Perhaps Zach Collins could be a future investment for the Celtics’ traded player exception born out of the Gordon Hayward sign-and-trade from this past November. Collins is currently sidelined with an ankle ailment that knocked him out of the Lake Buena Vista bubble from Walt Disney World’s Wide World of Sports Complex.
Danny Ainge seems convinced that there is a deal to be made before the trade deadline:
"In his weekly interview with “Toucher & Rich” on 98.5 The Sports Hub, Ainge was asked when he thinks the optimal moment is for a potential trade. “That’s a good question,” said Ainge. “Yeah, we are doing research on it. We have been all year, and we’ll continue all the way up until the trade deadline, which is the end of March. I think that the sweet spot most likely is latter March. But we’d do it right now if we had a really good deal."
We know how that could go, though.
Collins is still on a rookie-scale deal, and coming off an injury, he can potentially be had on a discounted long-term deal.
Boston Celtics traditional shooting big man #4: John Collins
This would admittedly be a home run swing, but given recent troubles with the Atlanta Hawks, perhaps a John Collins deal is possible.
Soaring Down South’s Matthew Hallett opined that dealing him could be beneficial for the current group’s chemistry in the long-term in a pros and cons piece:
"At the moment there appears to be no damage to the chemistry of the team despite Collins and Young disagreeing on how the offense should be run. However, if the year goes on and the Hawks are not winning, then these competitive personalities may start to clash more. If the Hawks are able to find a trade partner who will give them the desired assets before this happens then that will benefit the team culture. It may not come to this but sometimes it is best not to take that chance."
The Cs can give up plenty of picks and young talent to acquire the bouncy big man.
It’s a situation to monitor.
Boston Celtics traditional shooting big man #5: Danilo Gallinari
“The Rooster” could be a Cs target after being linked to the team in the past, especially if Atlanta feels any sort of buyer’s remorse following the gifting of a substantial offseason deal. Danilo Gallinari is the Hawks’ highest-paid player.
While his rebounding is practically non-existent this season (just two per game in 16 minutes per game in 2020-21), he is his 3-point shooting is still above 38%.
Gallinari fits the bill, and could possibly be had for cheap if Collins is the one prioritized by Hawks management.