Boston Celtics: 2 potential Kemba Walker trades to consider with NOLA
By Mark Nilon
Boston Celtics trade No. 1) Cs land a new starting point guard and center
Recently, rumors surfaced suggesting that the Pelicans could be willing to part ways with Lonzo Ball prior to the March 25th deadline.
Perhaps swapping him out for a perennial All-Star point guard could be an enticing enough idea for the front office to consider, especially if it meant giving up no substantial picks in the process.
For a market like New Orleans, stars are an incredibly hard commodity to come by. Because of this, trading for one like Kemba Walker could be a realistic concept, especially considering the fact that they are currently looking to contend in the tough Western Conference and have a lacking pool of experienced veterans.
The 30-year-old would come in and formulate quite a nice big-3 alongside young studs Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson, and, in turn, could help alleviate the defensive pressure thrown at both of them on a nightly basis, as the point guard himself is also a crafty shot creator who demands a double-team.
In return, the Boston Celtics would bring back Lonzo Ball who, quite frankly, could very well be a better fit in Beantown than in NOLA alongside Tatum and Brown.
Now in his fourth season in the league, the 23-year-old has established himself as quite a reliable all-around player.
His set-up skills are rivaled by few others in this league, while his 6-6 frame with a 6-9 wingspan allows him to be a sound rebounder for his position as well as a highly versatile defender.
On the season, Ball is posting per-game averages of 14.3 points, five assists, 4.2 rebounds, 1.3 steals, and a half-block on 43 percent shooting from the floor and 39 percent shooting from deep.
He fits the timeline that the C’s wings are currently on while also serving as a much cheaper option at the one, even if they re-signed him this offseason (hopefully they would), than Walker.
Coming alongside Ball is Steven Adams, an old fan-favorite trade target last season before he was ultimately dealt to New Orleans this past offseason.
The biggest weakness within Boston’s rotation is the pivot and has been since Al Horford left in the summer of 2019.
While the experiment with the Aussie in the Big Easy has been somewhat underwhelming to date, what he provides on a nightly basis might be exactly what this Celtics team could use at their starting five.
A big-bodied center just shy of 7-feet (6-11, 250-pounds), Adams is averaging eight points, 8.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and a steal per game on 60 percent shooting from the field. He finds himself second in the league in offensive boards (4.3) and is boasting the best defensive rating of his entire career of 115.
With this deal, the Boston Celtics get both a starting point guard and center back in return for a guy that they saw more success with him out of the lineup in comparison to once he returned.