Boston Celtics: 3 out of place players Cs should trade for this offseason

Boston Celtics target No. 3) Kyle Anderson

After losing Gordon Hayward last offseason to the Charlotte Hornets, the Boston Celtics are in the market for a ball-handling forward that can shoot, pass, and play defense.

Players like these tend to be expensive and hard to come by, hence why Hayward received nearly $30 million for four seasons from the Hornets.

Luckily for the Celtics, a player just like this is rumored to be available this summer.

Meet Kyle Anderson, Memphis’s 6-9, 230-pound playmaking and shooting forward.

He has been with the Grizzlies for three seasons and is expiring this season. Given his age and the revelation of Xavier Tillman, the Grizzlies may be looking to capitalize on his expiring contract in return for players or assets who might help their rebuild.

The Cs would be a perfect suitor for Anderson and have had an interest in him in the past.

Anderson could come off the bench or even start for Boston and provide elite versatility on both ends. He is a bit slow-footed, but his insane wingspan allows him to make up ground and make plays on the defensive end.

In his last three seasons with the Grizzlies, Anderson has totaled 192 steals and 131 blocks in 137 games, all as a power forward. Anderson’s length and defensive playmaking will come in handy when Boston matches up against some of the bigger teams in the East.

On offense, Anderson can do it all.

He averaged 12.4 points and 3.6 assists per game on 57.8 TS% and shot 36% from downtown.

Anderson is not a flashy offensive player, but he has learned to leverage his physical tools against smaller players to create space for a jumper or get to the rim, where Anderson shoots 65.4%.

He has an excellent in-between game, shooting 50% from 3-10 feet and 54.1% from 10-16 feet.

Kyle Anderson is one of the best passing fours in the league. He is an excellent extra passer and has perfect vision and touch. His frame allows him to see over the defense, and his touch will enable him to make passes most power forwards aren’t capable of producing.

These abilities would create tons of open triples and encourage the Boston Celtics to move and cut more often. His skill set is very scalable next to the Jays, so his production won’t dip in a minor role, unlike Graham.

Anderson’s price tag is unknown.

According to Brian Robb, the Cs have “had their eye on Anderson for quite some time.”

He won’t cost the Celtics any of their core pieces as an expiring asset, but the Grizzlies will likely want one of the Celtics’ recent draft picks for their lanky forward.

So long as the price is right, the Boston Celtics should try and acquire Kyle Anderson as he fits with the team and keeps the books clean for next summer.