The Boston Celtics have been a bit chaotic to start the 2021-22 season.
They began with a 2-5 record and some serious questions regarding the team’s core pieces. Eventually, the team found its footing on the defensive end, and that’s how they’ve been able to hold on as their two offensive stars try to find their groove after polar opposite starts.
We are nearing the 25 game benchmark of the season, and most of the skeletal questions surrounding the C’s roster have been answered.
However, although we are past asking if Jayson Tatum and Marcus Smart will be okay, there are still questions that need to be asked, the most significant being what Boston’s endgame is for this season?
Do the Celtics see themselves as a contender? A team in the middle of the pack, perhaps? And, most importantly, are the Boston Celtics going to be buyers or sellers at the NBA’s trade deadline?
It’s probably a little too early to tell, but we can determine which pieces are safe from the chopping block and which aren’t right now.
Even with injuries plaguing the roster, Ime Udoka has finalized what he wants his rotation to look like, and many good players aren’t a part of that picture.
Players like Payton Pritchard, Aaron Nesmith, and Juan Hernangomez will be names discussed in this article regarding what the Boston Celtics will be working with at the deadline.
Let’s start with Payton Pritchard, Brad Steven’s rookie standout turned DNP-CD machine in just a handful of months.
The sophomore’s future with the team looked bright after his first-year campaign, but his second season start has been anything but expected. Pritchard is not washed at 23 years old, but his spot on Boston’s roster is in jeopardy.
The Oregon product has 49 points on 59 shots this season, including an abysmal 30 percent shooting from deep.
He hasn’t been able to make the most of the few minutes Udoka has been able to spare him, and it’s led to his perpetual seat on the back of the bench. Although I think it’s unfair to expect high-level production out of Pritchard in inconsistent outings, it’s what he has to do, and he’s failed.
Even with Pritchard’s poor 2021-22 production, he’s still an attractive piece on the market. Many teams in the league could use a backup point guard that can shoot, dribble, and pass without breaking the bank.
Although Pritchard’s age will diminish what most late first-round picks might warrant, his maturity and portability will make up the difference.
There’s a chance Pritchard makes a comeback and is removed from the trade block by the deadline. After his homecoming night against Portland, he might have rediscovered his confidence, bringing back his shot.
However, if the Boston Celtics youngster does not bounce back, and even if he does, the team should survey the league to see if they can get a more consistent piece to round out their rotation.
Next up: Aaron Nesmith, struggling from a similar syndrome as Pritchard.
He’s not getting consistent minutes because his preconceived strength, his shooting, has not shown up. I don’t fault Udoka for not playing Nesmith, as I fault him for not playing Pritchard.
J-Rich, Romeo Langford, and Grant Williams have been better.
The dilemma with Nesmith is that he should be a more valuable asset than he is. He’s a former lottery pick with a seven-foot wingspan, tenacious spirit, and range. However, that pick status isn’t hiding that his wingspan and energy have led to foul trouble, and his shot hasn’t looked good.
General Managers won’t care where he was taken in the draft if they’re not confident they will be getting a lottery-level prospect.
So, either the Boston Celtics can sell low on him, banking on someone standing up to take a chance on him, or they can ride it out and hope he’s going through a sophomore slump.
I’m not opposed to either solution, so long as they simply decide.
If he’s staying, play him or put him in the G-league. If he’s going, get something worthwhile in return for him.
Playing cat and mouse with a rookie-scale sniper is dangerous, especially if he has trade value.
Lastly, Juan Hernangomez.
There were a few games to start the season where Herdangomez strutted his stuff, but for the most part, he’s been glued to the back of the bench for the Boston Celtics. The five-year NBA veteran is too good to be rotting at the end of the Cs’ rotation, but he’s not good enough to beat out Grant Williams as the backup four at this point in time.
The difference between Juancho and Nesmith and Pritchard is the latter two are both on rookie deals. Even if they continue to struggle, the Boston Celtics don’t risk anything in the financial sector.
Juancho, however, is owed $7 million over the next two seasons. That’s approximately the value of the mid-level exception.
If Udoka has no use for Hernangomez’s skill set, he needs to be moved before the Cs incur unnecessary costs.
Since Boston acquired him later in the offseason, we still have a bit of time left to go until he’s tradable, but Brad Stevens needs to get on the phone once that restriction is lifted.
There are a plethora of teams looking to solidify their power forward rotation. It’s up to the Boston Celtics to find those teams and find out what they can give them in return.
I don’t see any outcome where Juancho remains on the team past the deadline unless the Boston Celtics plan to incorporate him in a massive package over the summer. However, if he is the difference between getting a star and not getting a star, chances are the package was never legitimate to begin with.
It’d be better to get a contributor than run that risk.