Boston Celtics: 3 long-term pieces to pursue with TPE

At 19-18, the Boston Celtics can’t afford to sit on their hands. Whether it be via a trade, the buyout market, or even Brad Stevens simply shuffling the rotation around, Boston needs to change their gameplan as soon as humanly possible…unless a first-round exit is the desired outcome for this season.

In losing by double digits to a Brooklyn Nets team lacking Kevin Durant two nights ago, the Cs showed that they are not anything close to a dark horse in the east right now. If anything, they are sugar cubes ready to be consumed by the true stallions of the conference.

That said, the Cs aren’t just going to rush into a deal with their historic traded player exception created by the Gordon Hayward sign-and-trade to the Charlotte Hornets. According to Kevin Pelton, the team may instead look for a longer-term option than someone like LaMarcus Aldridge:

"“While Boston could acquire Aldridge without sending back any salary in return, I don’t think that’s a likely outcome,” Pelton wrote for ESPN.com. “The Celtics surely want to add a long-term piece to their core with their trade exception. That doesn’t describe Aldridge, who would also add to a crowd in the frontcourt with Daniel Theis, Tristan Thompson and Robert Williams all in the mix at center.”"

That got the Houdini wondering who would fit that statement and who is attainable. Here are three such names that could match the profile and should be pursued:

Boston Celtics long-term TPE option #1: Lauri Markkanen

Lauri Markkanen is currently on a Chicago Bulls team that is falling out of the postseason picture after flirting with the top #8 seeds in the season’s early going. Of course, the #7-10 seeds all need to further qualify for the Eastern Conference quarterfinals, but if the season ended right now, Chicago would be left on the outside looking in.

Markkanen has had issues with the front office in the past, and so far the new regime is failing to produce a winner as well. If management isn’t keen on extending Markkanen at a rate the Finnish big man desires, the Boston Celtics should swoop in and make him part of their long-term plans.