This year’s trade deadline was one filled with high promise and expectations but, like most years for the Boston Celtics, ended with unlit fireworks and disappointment.
Sure, the team’s front office managed to make a few moves, landing Evan Fournier from the Orlando Magic with their TPE and the likes of Moritz Wagner and Luke Kornet in the Daniel Theis deal, but, for the most part, no one is under the impression that the Cs made any “needle-moving” transactions.
Now, while we can all sit here and think back on March 25th, swapping thoughts about “what could have been”, the more practical mindset would be to look towards the future and think of ways in which this Cs team can get back to their preseason status of being legitimate title contenders.
With 25 games left on the docket, there is still time for this underwhelming Boston squad to get back on track and save their rapidly sinking season — after all, they still have two All-Stars in Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, a perennial All-Star in Kemba Walker, and a Swiss Army man in Marcus Smart all in tow.
However, should their blunders continue throughout — we certainly hope not –, this team could realistically look to make some serious moves this offseason to make up for their quiet deadline and add some extra firepower to their rotation.
Based on recent rumors and rumblings from league sources, the team’s front office could find itself in the market for legitimate stars and difference makers.
Should they look to make a legitimate splash this offseason, we at the Houdini believe there are 3 specific players that should strongly be considered as “top shelf targets” for the Boston Celtics:
Boston Celtics star target No. 1) Lonzo Ball
Ok, so Lonzo Ball isn’t “technically” a star, as he has yet to make an All-Star game throughout his four-year tenure in the league.
That said, should he ever wind up on the Boston Celtics with their current wing duo of Tatum and Brown, he would almost certainly become one.
We here at HH have been pounding the proverbial drum all season for Danny Ainge and co. to make a run at the 23-year-old point guard, and even penned a last-second trade package at this year’s deadline that we had hoped would be considered.
It wasn’t.
Frankly, we were shocked that all the buzz surrounding deadline day revolved around how the Celtics should look into going “all in” for an upgrade at the center position because, frankly, we believe Robert Williams is already that guy and has been playing like such virtually all season.
Instead, it is our belief that what this team desperately needs more than anything is a legitimate floor general who can properly run an offense, serve as a creator for others, and buy his own bucket when need be.
Lonzo Ball is that player.
On the season, Ball is posting all-around sound averages of 14.2 points, 5.6 assists, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.3 steals on 43 percent shooting from the floor and 39 percent shooting from deep.
We keep on saying it, but it’s just something we feel so strongly about. This stagnant offense relies heavily on isolation scoring — Tatum alone ranks fourth in the league in isolation shot attempts — and a big reason for this is because they don’t have that guy to properly get them the ball for easier looks.
A man with top-tier court vision in today’s league that, most recently, was tabbed as having the ‘highest basketball IQ’ by Magic Johnson, Ball should be on of the go-to free agents for the shamrocks this offseason and should try to find a way to clear enough cap space to ink him to a deal.