The Boston Celtics’ victory over the Washington Wizards Sunday pushes the team closer to being a buyer at the NBA trade deadline.
Boston is now in the #8 seed after trading wins and losses in recent weeks, but seeing teams like the Washington Wizards, New York Knicks, and Atlanta Hawks fail to keep/gain any ground in the standings.
That’s not a bad place to be, but the magic seed for NBA teams to make the playoffs without having to play one or two NBA Play-in games to qualify is the #6 seed. The Cs are three and a half games back of their Atlantic Division rival, the Philadelphia 76ers, and can close that gap with strategic additions at the trade deadline.
Hardwood Houdini has seen no evidence that a shakeup of any sort isn’t necessary. Not when the Portland Trail Blazers are picking this team off at home.
So, in honor of the duality of fact that encompasses both Dennis Schroder’s expiring contract and the likelihood that he’ll make too much this offseason to return to the Celtics, we’re once again using his deal for in a mock trade to improve the roster.
Here, he returns to the Oklahoma City Thunder…though not for long:
Why the Boston Celtics do it
The Cs add several players here who could add a jolt of energy to the second unit coming from a team that had to scrap and claw to win games early here.
Derrick Favors has the highest ceiling, and could become the new first big off the bench. Kenrich Williams adds a knock-down 3-point shooter on the wing for the second unit, while Ty Jerome adds a similar dynamic to Payton Pritchard and potentially forms a potent point guard pair.
Why the Oklahoma City Thunder do it
The Thunder get several young pieces worth auditioning for future roles and adds a second-round draft pick. Dennis Schroder would most certainly be waived and set free to find a new free agent home with a contender in need of backcourt help.