Boston Celtics: 2 key takeaways from C’s recent trades

The Boston Celtics are looking to contend this season.

Although I’m not sure Richardson and Dunn remain with the team long enough to play a game in green, the two targets indicate Brad Stevens is focused on improving the Boston Celtics defense. Although Dunn is coming off an injury-riddled season, the year before his Atlanta Hawks tenure, he had one of the best defensive seasons off the bench for the Bulls, getting snubbed out of the NBA’s All-Defensive second team.

Dunn plays tough and is an exceptional on-ball guard defender, specializing his pickpockets, stonewalling, and can play in passing lanes off-ball. His six-foot-nine wingspan and rocky frame give opposing guards trouble, and next to Marcus Smart, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, Al Horford, and Robert Williams, Dunn will contribute to one of the best defenses in the league.

Josh Richardson, on the other hand, provides even more length and physicality on the defensive end. Richardson’s last two seasons have not been productive, pleasant, or promising, but the Boston Celtics got him for, quite literally, nothing. If the flashes Richardson has shown hold, the Brad Stevens got a steal from the Mavericks.

Richardson stands at six-foot-five, 200 lbs, and has made a name for himself on the defensive end. Although the Celtics would like a little more out of him on the offensive end, his help instincts and on-ball prowess will bode nicely for Ime Udoka and allow Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum to focus more on offensive responsibilities.

Both Richardson and Dunn are not great offensive players, but they provide excellent defensive production and come cheap. However, I’m sure Brad Stevens keeps them around due to their offensive shortcomings.