The Boston Celtics need to be cut some slack. Much of the rotation was missing from their 108-103 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday night–more so than Philly’s key rotation–so it’s not totally fair to completely thrash the state of the currently under .500 Cs.
Hardwood Houdini feels we have satisfied the ‘some’ slack-cutting portion of this exercise. Let’s get into how disappointing of a loss that was.
Heading into this game, three of Boston’s last four opponents were the Golden State Warriors, Phoenix Suns, and Milwaukee Bucks. That’s the league’s winningest team and the 2021 NBA Finals two combatants for those keeping score at home.
Some respite was offered by the New York Knicks, but now the Cs must take on the Eastern Conference’s #3 seed Cleveland Cavaliers, a Bucks team looking for revenge on Christmas Day, tough and competitive Los Angeles Clippers and Minnesota Timberwolves teams, and the Suns again on New Year’s Eve.
Losing to a Sixers team that basically had a six-man rotation isn’t a result that really cuts it in this competitive climate.
Things really may be heading off the rails before things even out…if they even do. Something, anything, has to give from Boston Celtics President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens.
Given the lack of financial flexibility without completely butchering Boston’s core and leaving few pieces around the ‘Jays’ to enter free agency with, the trade route is one we will continue to clamor for, no matter how offensive that may be to a segment of the fanbase.
And truly, with the down year he is having and the bloated payments that await him in the years to come, Marcus Smart’s salary is one we will speculate about until we are blue in the face.
At this point, it’s clear that the defensive returns are not being balanced out by what he does on the offensive end. The Celtics have plenty of dogged defenders, yet it appears as though the team’s defense is average at best when the clock is running. And wouldn’t ya know it, the numbers check out, too, with a 12th ranked defensive rating.
So, a Smart swap should bring back offense, which leads us to the frequently floated-in-rumors Buddy Hield. It’s been years since Hield has been seen as anything but an eventual trade asset in Sacramento, and right now, the Kings have several young guards who will need their time in the sun.
A move for Buddy Hield would be ideal for the Boston Celtics, but must Marcus Smart be involved?
Tarringo Basile-vaughan of Chowder and Champions discussed this very possibility:
"Obviously, the Celtics would have to start any negotiations by including Romeo Langford, Aaron Nesmith, and draft picks. But could sweeten the deal by including Marcus Smart or Josh Richardson. If Smart is included, something besides Hield would have to come back in the deal to make it worth it for Stevens."
While Smart would be a far better fit as a complementary piece with the young Kings backcourt, his struggles this season shooting coupled with the aforementioned massive ledger his next employer will be picking up may actually give Sacramento the leverage in negotiations.
The Houdini sees Smart as a must in any deal for Hield, with neither Romeo Langford nor Aaron Nesmith proving to have a ceiling higher than say current Sacramento forward Terence Davis. Josh Richardson has never quite had the cache of a Hield type and has seen his trade stock decline over the last few seasons.
Whether this arrangement is ultimately one Boston Celtics President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens would go for depends on the extras. But Smart is a must-include in any offer for Hield until Richardson, Nesmith, or Langford can change that.