Boston Celtics: “Agree or Disagree” on list of trade targets Cs should avoid

Player Boston Celtics should avoid No. 3) DeMar DeRozan

Last but certainly not least we have DeMar DeRozan who, by all accounts, is the best player to be found on this list.

On the season, the multi-time All-Star is finding himself once again boasting impressive averages of 20.2 points, 6.7 assists, and 5.1 rebounds on 49 percent shooting from the floor and 33 percent shooting from deep.

With him leading the way his Spurs are boasting a 14-11 record and, in turn, rank in as the sixth-best team in the Western Conference standings.

With him putting up such numbers and guiding his team to such a productive start through the first 25 games of action, one would believe that bringing him onto this Boston Celtics squad should be deemed as something fans should be interested in seeing.

Buckley, on the other hand, is not too keen on the idea, citing the veteran’s lofty payday as his main reason for why the Cs should avoid the wing.

"The issue is the 31-year-old’s contract. Yes, it’s expiring, but it’s worth an enormous $27.7 million before it does. Boston isn’t matching that without moving Kemba Walker (why would San Antonio want him?), dealing Marcus Smart (the emotional leader) or destroying its depth. The cost is too severe for the Celtics to make this work. At best, DeRozan would be the third option on offense, which can be a tricky role for him since he’s not an off-ball spacer (career 28.4 percent from three) and doesn’t offer much resistance at the other end."

The problem with this argument, however, is the fact that they actually can afford DeRozan’s contract without giving up the likes of Kemba Walker or Marcus Smart’s contract, as they can acquire as large as $28.5 million in salary with their Traded Player Exception.

Theoretically, if San Antonio was absolutely desperate to rid themselves of the wing’s contract, Boston could send just picks to bring him aboard, and the money would work just fine.

The problem, however, is that not only does he play a position that the Boston Celtics are stacked at, he also has a poor track record in the postseason, both of which are things that could ultimately hold the Cs back, not push them forward like a skilled big man or a postseason tested veteran could.

DeMar DeRozan is a talented player, but in no way do we believe he’s someone that should be atop Ainge’s wishlist.

Verdict: Agree