Boston Celtics: “Pass or Pursue” on 3 recently proposed Bulls trades

ByMark Nilon|
Boston Celtics (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)
Boston Celtics (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)
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Boston Celtics (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Boston Celtics (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

Since the start of the 2020-21 season, the Boston Celtics have been linked to the trade rumor mill with the hope of the team utilizing their historically high $28.5 million Traded Player Exception.

Recently, this buzz became more prominent, as The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor reported that the shamrocks are actively looking for upgrades to their roster:

"Late Saturday evening, I received a flurry of texts from multiple executives around the league who said the Celtics were up to something. What they’re up to is unclear, but league sources have long said Boston is searching for upgrades to bolster its wing and big man position."

As many of you already may know, we at the Houdini are big on the idea of the Cs making trades and are constantly playing the role of GM to try and concoct ways in which they can better position themselves to attain banner No. 18.

Recently, our sister site Da Windy City jumped into the Celtics trade mix and proposed 3 trades the Chicago Bulls could make with the shamrocks.

The Chicago Bulls could be a potential trade partner for the Boston Celtics

With this, it sparked the desire for us at HH to push out yet another installment of our favorite series we call “Pass or Pursue”, where we discuss whether or not the Boston Celtics should sit out on trade talks or if they should actively try to partake.

So, without further adieu, let’s get started:

Boston Celtics trade with Bulls No. 1) Daniel Theis flipped for Thaddeus Young

Boston Celtics LogoBoston Celtics
Receive
Thaddeus Young
Future Second-Round Pick
Chicago Bulls LogoChicago Bulls
Receive
Daniel Theis
Future First-Round Pick

First up on the docket, we have the idea of the Boston Celtics flipping Daniel Theis for veteran power forward, Thaddeus Young.

A player we at the site see as a possible TPE target, Young is having himself a solid start to 2020-21. Through 18 games, the power forward is posting averages of 11.1 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 1.3 steals, and a half block per game on 59 percent shooting from the floor.

According to writer Ryan Heckman, the 32-year-old would be a nice grab for this Celtics squad due, in large, to his defensive versatility & veteran experience, and even deemed it the “exact kind of move” the team needs:

"Young can play and guard multiple positions. He’s a smart player on both ends of the floor. This is the exact kind of move a team like the Celtics make, without giving up any key players, to go on and compete for the top spot in the East. Young is shooting a career-best 58.5 percent from the floor in his 15th season in the league. If you look at his per-36 minute averages, Young has been arguably the Bulls’ best all-around player other than LaVine. He’s been the complete package, and absolutely warrants a first rounder from Boston, especially considering that first-round pick won’t be very high up. Back to those per-36 minute averages: 15.7 points, 7.7 rebounds, 6.1 assists and 1.9 steals. Those are astounding numbers for a guy who has played for a decade and a half. Specifically, the assists are out of this world for Young, whose previous best was 3.0 per 36 minutes. Young has continued to develop and adapt, and has been an unsung and highly overlooked player this NBA season. Young could be the key to Boston going all the way if they found their groove."

While we still stand strong on our assertion that he could be a quality TPE grab, the proposed trade is a bit steep for a guy in the twilight years of his career.

To us, a first-round pick just for Young is a tad extreme for Boston to consider. Then, they suggest throwing Daniel Theis into the mix who, quite frankly, deserves more credit than he’s receiving so far into the season, shooting a league-high in 2-point field goal percentage (69%) and is sixth in the league in overall field goal percentage (60%).

Though we’re not completely opposed to dealing the German Hammer, we don’t believe swapping him for Young is worth it, especially considering there’s a proposed first-round pick that would go along with him.

Verdict: Pass