The Boston Celtics have been one of the busiest teams thus far into the 2022 offseason as they’re seemingly on a mission to wipe away their “runner up” label of 2022 and replace it with the status of NBA Champions come 2023.
Fortunately for them, the moves that have already been made may be enough to thrust themselves over this hump, for the additions of Danilo Gallinari and Malcolm Brogdon help bolster the main weak spots (particularly second-unit scoring) that plagued them all throughout last year’s campaign and during their Finals run.
That said, though many may believe Brad Stevens and co. should undoubtedly be content with what they’ve already managed to accomplish this summer when it comes to re-tooling this title-contending roster, as rumor has it, they actually may be interested in partaking in one more splash before October’s tip-off arrives.
Per a July 25th report by The Athletic’s Shams Charania (subscription required), the Boston Celtics went about and made a blockbuster proposal for Brooklyn Nets estranged star, Kevin Durant, who requested to be traded back in late June.
According to Charania, the offer centered around Jaylen Brown, Derrick White, and a pick heading borough bound in exchange for the megastar wing. Brooklyn would go on to counter this proposal by requesting Marcus Smart to be included, which didn’t go over well and quickly shut down talks between the two parties.
Now, this trade idea could be argued as being rather hazardous for the Celtics to partake in for a myriad of reasons, with the most common stance being that the club would be swapping out an already established star not even in his prime yet for a soon-to-be 34-year-old Kevin Durant who maybe has a few more years left in his.
However, if you ask former Boston Celtics champion, Brian Scalabrine, the proverbial “line in the sand” for any such KD monster trade should be drawn at Smart.
In a recent sit-down discussion with NBA Insider, Frank Isola, Scalabrine went on to heap praise upon the team’s starting point guard, going as far as to say that every team “is looking for the next Marcus Smart.”
"If I'm the Boston Celtics, I am drawing the line at [Marcus Smart]."@Scalabrine tells @TheFrankIsola why he wouldn't include the 2022 Defensive Player of the Year in a trade for Kevin Durant. pic.twitter.com/WWjDUAgdLu
— SiriusXM NBA Radio (@SiriusXMNBA) July 29, 2022
"“If I’m the Boston Celtics, I’m drawing a line at that guy. No way! A lot of people want to sit there [and say] he’s polarizing to people, but not polarizing to me. You know, I highly highly value the defensive end of the floor. The guy can guard multiple [positions],” Scalabrine said. “You go around and talk to NBA scouts out there, I’m telling you guys right now, everybody is looking for the next Marcus Smart. That point guard that can guard all five positions, the point guard that can get switched onto a Joel Embiid…”"
Scalabrine would later go on to refer to Smart as the ‘fabric’ of this Boston Celtics squad, and that losing him would not be worth it in the long run for the club.
During his first full year serving as the unquestioned starting one for Boston, the 27-year-old went on to have a career campaign, boasting 12.1 points, 5.9 assists, and 3.8 rebounds per game whilst becoming the first guard since 1996 to win the league’s Defensive Player of the Year award along the way.
As far as team success is concerned, the team generated their highest win total (51) since the 2017-18 season while also clinching their first NBA Finals berth in over a decade.
Now, with a buffed-up talent pool in the mix, the C’s have legitimate aspirations of finally raising banner No. 18 into the rafters back at TD Garden, and are even viewed as having the highest odds of doing so this year.
If we’re Stevens, no way should they consider parting ways with any one of this team’s core pieces, and, yes, this includes the likes of Marcus Smart.