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Boston Celtics: 3 trade targets that could help fix struggling Cs

By Mark Nilon

WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 31: Bradley Beal #3 of the Washington Wizards reacts after a play against the Brooklyn Nets during the second half at Capital One Arena on January 31, 2021 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Will Newton/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 31: Bradley Beal #3 of the Washington Wizards reacts after a play against the Brooklyn Nets during the second half at Capital One Arena on January 31, 2021 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Will Newton/Getty Images) /
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Boston Celtics (Photo by Don Juan Moore/Getty Images) /

Boston Celtics trade target No. 2) Nikola Vucevic

Next up, we stay at the center position as we believe it is the area in which the Boston Celtics need to improve the most.

Recently, Bleacher Report came out with a piece discussing the idea of Orlando Magic big, Nikola Vucevic being an ideal trade target for the team and, frankly, we can’t find any reason to disagree with their judgment:

"Assuming the Celtics aren’t ready to hit the panic button on Kemba Walker (although maybe they should be), Boston’s focus should be on the frontcourt. Vucevic would be an upgrade over Tristan Thompson, giving the Celtics a center who can shoot threes and create for others. He’s having a career year (23.3 points, 11.5 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 41.7 percent shooting from three) for a sinking Magic team, and Vucevic’s $26 million salary fits into Boston’s massive trade exception from the Gordon Hayward sign-and-trade."

A legitimate 7-footer, the All-Star center would be an unbelievable presence to have at the five for this Celtics team both for his stature and his skillset — an in and out scorer with a 19.3 assist percentage and a box plus-minus rating of 6.1.

His pick-and-pop game would be an unbelievable asset to have for this team (second in the league in points per possession by these means) and his distribution skills (leads the league in post-up passes and has ranked in the 87th percentile in assist percentage among big men over the last six seasons) would only help the team’s surrounding shooters get easier looks.

He would easily be an upgrade over what Boston is rolling out now at the five — and by a long shot at that — and could prove to be that fourth star to thrust the Cs over the hump out east.

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