C&C concocts perfect Al Horford-Dennis Schroder deal with Sacramento Kings

Hardwood Houdini’s all-Boston sister site Chowder and Champions concocted a deal that would be considered a home-run swing if Boston Celtics President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens stepped up to the plate and delivered it.

Whether or not the Sacramento Kings would go for it without any draft compensation is an important conversation to be had.

But the return package is one Cs fans should see as realistic given CBS Sports’ report stating that the two players are being shopped as a duo.

Here’s Owen Crisafulli’s mock deal:

Again, the Houdini sees draft compensation heading to California’s star city as necessary, though maybe the notoriously inept Kings front office will continue to operate at status quo levels.

Otherwise, both teams have legitimate reasons to go for this.

Why the Boston Celtics do it

Picking up long-term money is worth it for Brad Stevens and co. for several reasons:

• Cap space will be very difficult to open up this coming offseason.
• Buddy Hield and Marvin Bagley III could be long-term role players.

Assuming the Cs will avoid any bigger blockbuster deals involving Jaylen Brown–like HoosHabit’s Jack Simone is suggesting–the roster will be constructed around the ‘Jays’ moving forward in the foreseeable future.

Buddy Hield is the ideal wing to make defenders pay for overloading on schemes aiming to slow down Brown and Jayson Tatum. Marvin Bagley III provides floor-spacing in a supporting capacity and low-post scoring in a featured capacity whenever the offense decides to run through the block.

Sacramento has not featured Bagley much besides in games that didn’t feature COVID-affected rosters, but he could be devastating facing opposing second units while situated behind Robert Williams in the rotation. Ime Udoka could also toy with the idea of starting both bigs. As for Hield, his numbers are down with more competition in the Kings backcourt this season than ever before.

Both guys could use a fresh start, and Boston could use a fresh sense of direction adding two young players that are also far beyond the ‘prospect’ label and on a similar timeline to their two best players.

Why the Sacramento Kings do it

Again, with a pick or two, this deal gets done for Sacramento…if they maintain (or improve) their current position in the Western Conference standings.

If the Kings are in an NBA Play-in position, it’d be imperative to be as competitive as possible. That fan base has waited 16 years (and counting) to break through to the postseason. This deal puts them in a better position to actually qualify for the NBA’s proverbial “second season”.