After having gone through one of their most disappointing seasons in recent memory, the Boston Celtics took charge this summer by addressing and retooling a bevy of areas within the rotation that were initially perceived as weak.
From the Kemba Walker for Al Horford swap that bolstered their center rotation in the process to the signing of Dennis Schroder that should immensely help improve their bench scoring production, the C’s front office — which is now led by rookie President of Basketball Operations, Brad Stevens — has done a tremendous job of restructuring the roster for head coach, Ime Udoka.
That said, though we can all sit around and praise Boston for their hard work and solid shakeups this offseason, it’s hard to look past some of the rather sizeable holes that still remain within the rotation.
As things currently stand, their weakest position looks to be the power forward spot, as they will likely be starting Jayson Tatum (a natural three) in this role because, outside of him, they have no legitimate options.
For those familiar with the organization, you likely already know that this has been a problem for well over a year now, which is why the recent news that surfaced stating that Boston went rather hard for a trade involving Jerami Grant last season should come as no surprise to anyone.
According to The Athletic’s James L. Edwards III (subscription required), the Boston Celtics offered up ‘multiple late first-round picks’ for the star forward.
Obviously, as one could tell simply by the fact that Grant is still a member of the Detroit Pistons, the proposal was not accepted and the shamrocks continue to find themselves with a void at the four.
With this news, we at HH find ourselves wondering — if this aforementioned proposal was rejected, what would it actually take for the Pistons to part ways with their veteran forward?
Being that the franchise is in the early stages of a full-fledged rebuild, draft capital will obviously be a major draw in regard to any potential return packages. That said, based on the report that General Manager, Troy Weaver, rejected the offer made by the Boston Celtics involving multiple future firsts, clearly picks are not the only thing they covet.
Young and promising prospects would certainly be a plus for the Pistons to acquire along with the rights to a few draft selections, and the trade package we have listed below could prove to be a nice haul for the organization:
Following a similar formula to what the reported offer was from last year, here we see several draft picks heading to Motor City, this time made up of two firsts and a second.
However, what makes this deal enticing for the Pistons is that, along with this capital and Josh Richardson, they wind up snagging two youthful talents still under their rookie contracts in Grant Williams and last year’s lone lottery selection for the Boston Celtics, Aaron Nesmith.
Obviously, the most desirable name from this bunch would be Nesmith who, when coming into the association, was revered as the best shooter in his respective class and was coming off a sophomore season where he posted stellar averages of 23 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.4 steals and just under a block per game while shooting 51 percent from the field and a whopping 52 percent from deep.
Though perhaps rather inconsistent during his rookie campaign (4.7 points on 44 percent shooting from the floor), during the final stretch of the regular season the wing finally started to see some consistent playing time and, in turn, showcased the skillset that had scouts enamored with his potential at the next level.
Through the last nine games of the year, Nesmith went about and put up an impressive 9.7 points and 4.9 rebounds per game on 53.6 percent shooting from the floor and 45 percent shooting from deep while logging just over 21 minutes a night.
When given ample playing time, the rookie always seemed to perform admirably (averaged 15.5 points and 7.5 rebounds on 62 percent shooting from the floor and 50 percent shooting from deep during games where he played 30-39 minutes) and, on a team like Detroit, he’d absolutely get the proper run on the hardwood needed which, in turn, could seriously aid in his development towards becoming a legitimate franchise building block.
For the Boston Celtics, they may be giving up their promising young first-round selection, a few key role players, and a few picks but, if they want to legitimately compete for a title in the near future, parting with all these assets could prove to be worth it if Jerami Grant is coming back in return.
Breaking onto the scene last season, the seventh-year veteran exploded for career-best averages seemingly all across the board, posting 22.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.1 blocks per game on 43 percent shooting from the floor and 35 percent shooting from deep.
Still only 27, Grant would be a tremendous add for the long haul while his specific skill set and expertise could help the team contend right from day one.
A lineup of Marcus Smart, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, Grant, and Al Horford would certainly be considered one of the best starting fives in the entire league as it would be perhaps the most versatile and well-rounded in terms of two-way play.
A seamless fit at the four on both ends of the court what with his floor-spacing/ multi-faceted offensive abilities and his stout speed, athleticism, and high-end IQ, adding Jerami Grant to this core would instantly thrust the Boston Celtics back into the conversation of the NBA’s elite teams.
What say you Cs fans, do you like the looks of this proposed deal? Perhaps you think Boston would be giving up too much or too little?
Whatever your thoughts may be, go ahead and leave them in the comments section below!