Boston Celtics: These 2 Tristan Thompson-Aaron Nesmith trades return starting PG

If you’ve been reading Hardwood Houdini in recent weeks, you’ll know that the minute Kemba Walker was dealt to the Oklahoma City Thunder, our minds immediately shifted to who will occupy the point guard spot for the Boston Celtics in his stead.

The Cs have been defined by guard play the last decade, from Rajon Rondo to Isaiah Thomas to Kyrie Irving. The Walker era started off well, with an All-Star start in 2020 that was followed by an Eastern Conference finals appearance.

As we know, the good times didn’t last. 2020-21 was a nightmarish season for the Boston Celtics from start to finish. Walker was never fully healthy, and their postseason run came to an end after a five-game gentleman’s sweep at the hands of the Brooklyn Nets.

The point guard that promised the city of Boston the rest of his career had defeated the very franchise whose backs he turned on to discuss a future in Brooklyn with Spencer Dinwiddie…while still in a Boston Celtics uniform.

New President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens did well to move on from the Walker era in flipping his deal for Al Horford’s, but the work is very far from done right now. The most critical position on the floor is currently manned by an out-of-position and inefficient shooter in Marcus Smart. Behind him is 2020 late first rounder Payton Pritchard and 2019 late second rounder Carsen Edwards.

Stevens has a chance to rectify this in the trade market. In recent weeks, we’ve explored what the Cs could get for a Smart-Tristan Thompson package, then more recently a Smart-Robert Williams package.

Today, we’re going to explore what a Tristan Thompson-Aaron Nesmith combo can bring: