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

Why the Boston Celtics do it

The defensive fortitude of a Pat Beverley-Marcus Smart-Jaylen Brown-Jayson Tatum-Al Horford lineup is too good to pass up. Ditto for lineups swapping in Robert Williams for either Smart or Horford.

No matter what five guys the Cs put on the floor following a hypothetical Beverley deal, the team would be switchable from positions 1-5.

Beverley is the kind of instigator the team is lacking, even with the level of physicality Smart plays with. While the 2014 #6 pick never has issues hitting the floor for loose balls or battling on the block with bigger guys, Beverley is on a different level of defensive agitation. His purpose on the floor is to get into the minds of opposing superstars. He’s essentially a mercenary tasked with making sure the other team’s best player has an off-game…by any means necessary.

And I want that on the Celtics.

Why the Los Angeles Clippers do it

Reggie Jackson may have proven that he is the answer at point guard for the Los Angeles Clippers moving forward. As a free agent, it could take the MLE to keep him in town.

With him and Rajon Rondo on the depth chart, the Clippers could spare giving up the decent sized deal of Beverley to shore up the center spot with a championship veteran and add a sharpshooting wing to a lineup that thrives on positional ambiguity.