Boston Celtics: SCIC pushes for Cs reunion to add needed frontcourt depth
Former Boston Celtics forward Jae Crowder has requested to not report to his current team, the Phoenix Suns, for training camp. Predictably, the team has agreed as it continues trying to find a trade for him per ESPN’s Brian Windhorst.
Crowder has named some of his preferred trade destinations, and they all include teams he has once played for: the Boston Celtics, the Miami Heat, the Dallas Mavericks, and the Memphis Grizzlies.
Miami didn’t make much noise this offseason, so bringing in a two-way contributor like Crowder could build some goodwill with a team that feels like its going to eventually lose Jimmy Butler as the Heat continue to fall short of the Larry O’Brien Trophy. The Mavericks did well to add Christian Wood, but could certainly use depth as it aims to reach the Western Conference finals once more. Memphis may represent the most intriguing option as a team that clawed its way to the No. 2 seed with Ja Morant missing for a good portion of the season. The Grizzlies likely have the most to offer in a trade as well.
Sir Charles In Charge’s Michael Saenz only made a case for Miami and Boston, in the C’s case lamenting that Crowder could help cure the Celtics’ frontcourt depth issues caused by the absence of Robert Williams III:
"“The Boston Celtics are another team that would make some sense for Jae Crowder, and he has some familiarity with the franchise. He spent three years with the Celtics already during the 2014-16 seasons. But it’s more than the familiarity for Crowder. It’s the fact that the Celtics could really use some added depth in the frontcourt.”"
The Boston Celtics may not have the pieces to land Jae Crowder
Since the Celtics no longer have access to the TPE created by the Evan Fournier sign-and-trade to New York, they will need to cobble together several contracts to make the money work. Unfortunately, it doesn’t appear that there’s a direct path to doing so without giving up valuable bench pieces.
In Hardwood Houdini’s opinion, there isn’t value in swapping out deals for Payton Pritchard and Grant Williams to bring on the expiring contract of Jae Crowder. Not without more picks than Phoenix would likely be willing to give up at least.