Boston Celtics: Heavy sees Talen Horton-Tucker as Lakers-Marcus Smart asset

The Boston Celtics couldn’t even their 2021-22 season record at 5-5 last night, instead finding themselves on the wrong end of a 107-104 instant classic that was won at the buzzer against the Dallas Mavericks.

Why was it an instant classic? Well, the Cs were once again the (almost) comeback kings, tying the game in the fourth quarter after being down over 20 points in the first half and third quarter. Luka Doncic was the late hero for the Mavs, though, sinking the step-back 3-pointer that ended Boston’s winning streak at two.

Of course, those two wins against the Orlando Magic and Miami Heat followed pretty heavy comments by Marcus Smart about being frustrated by the late-game play of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.

And speaking of heavy, Heavy.com talked about the Los Angeles Lakers making a move for the disgruntled Cs guard after a push by purple of gold fans on Twitter.

What would Boston get back in return? A defensive-first swingman that costs half the price:

"The Celtics aren’t in the business of doing the Lakers any favors due to their rivalry that spans decades. However, that won’t stop the two teams from making a trade that will benefit both sides. The only interesting tradeable asset the Lakers have right now is Talen Horton-Tucker.The team is really high on the 20-year-old guard and his potential, but they are in win-now mode. Smart could be an immediate solution to some of their biggest problems on the defensive side of the court. For the Celtics, Horton-Tucker won’t cause any headaches and has big-time potential on both sides of the court. It’s a deal that could make sense for both sides."

Horton-Tucker would need to be attached to draft assets for the Boston Celtics to consider this, which the Lakers don’t have much of in the coming seasons. Smart is a far superior shooter and playmaker and has valuable experience playing in big moments, many of them being against Lakers superstar LeBron James.

Still, if the Cs could get L.A. to overpay for Smart and mortgage their future on this year’s team while simultaneously relieving Boston of a star who has known friction with the team’s stars?

I mean maybe Heavy is on to something there…