Boston Celtics: “Pass or Pursue” on 3 proposed blockbuster trades

Boston Celtics trade No. 3) Deandre Ayton serves as C’s new franchise big

Now, though we talked up a big game when it comes to Robert Williams III in the previous slide, this is not to say that we would never be open to the idea of seeing him being moved in some sort of transaction, especially if it was for someone of the same position and perhaps with even more upside.

Let’s face it, folks, while Time Lord is indeed a tremendous talent and a favorite of both ours and the entirety of the Boston Celtics fanbase, yet again we’ve seen him miss significant time due to injuries and, since coming back, all we can do is sit on the edge of our seats when he’s on the floor, hoping that he doesn’t re-aggravate his knee or, even worse, injure something else.

Living in fear is no way for a championship-aspiring team to function and, if Brad Stevens could find a way to acquire a center who has just as much promise, if not more than Rob all at a steal of a price, he should jump at such an opportunity, right?

Well, such an opportunity would be present in this proposal by B/R, as they composed a deal that, in their eyes, could be enough to bring Phoenix center, Deandre Ayton, to Boston.

Admittedly, even in his piece, Buckley does state that parting ways with their breakout big could be a hard decision to make–this season, we saw Williams post stellar averages of 10 points, 9.6 boards, two assists, and 2.2 blocks per game on 73.6 percent shooting from the floor whilst spearheading the charge for the C’s top-ranked defensive unit–, but he believes that, in the end, should they land the former No. 1 overall pick, it could prove to be well worth it:

"For the Shamrocks to get aggressive, then, that would probably put Robert Williams III on the chopping block. That’s a tough pill to swallow given what the 24-year-old has already shown and how much better he can still get, but you have to give up something to get something. And here, the Celtics would be getting an impact center in Deandre Ayton, the No. 1 pick in a draft that included Luka Doncic, Trae Young, Jaren Jackson Jr., Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Miles Bridges and Mikal Bridges. The 23-year-old has all the makings of a cornerstone center. He can score from the paint to the mid-range (quite possibly to the perimeter at some point), control the glass and defend inside and out. Even if he isn’t as disruptive of a defender as Williams, Ayton’s superior scoring, rebounding and offensive skill could help the Celtics come out ahead."

Throughout his four-year career, Ayton has proven himself to be a player on the verge of stardom, showcasing a stellar combination of offensive and rebounding skills as well as a solid feel for the less glamorous side of the ball as well.

Just this past season, the youngster went on to post a tremendous stat-line of 17.2 points, 10.2 rebounds, and just shy of a block on 63 percent shooting from the floor and 37 percent shooting from deep (albeit, on 19 total attempts).

Being that he’ll only be 24-years-old come next season, Ayton clearly fits the timeline that Boston’s centerpieces in Tatum and Brown find themselves on (will be just 24 and 26, respectively, once next season tips off), while his skill set and offensive prowess actually could go on to compliment the star wing duo to an even greater extent than Robert Williams’ does.

Even if it may be a bit difficult to commit to parting ways with Time Lord, should an offer such as this arise, Brad Stevens and co. should strongly consider making it become a reality.

Verdict: Pursue