Hardwood Houdini
Fansided

Favorable Boston Celtics proposal for ill-fitting third star worth consideration

By Andrew Hughes

NBA Analysis Network came up with a favorable proposal that would land an ill-fitting third star to the Boston Celtics worthy of consideration Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
NBA Analysis Network came up with a favorable proposal that would land an ill-fitting third star to the Boston Celtics worthy of consideration Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit

Should the Boston Celtics season go south before a championship vacation to Disney World, it’s a near certainty President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens will do whatever it takes to put the finishing touches on what should be a championship roster.

With Jaylen Brown making an All-NBA team and being eligible for a super-max contract extension, the goal would theoretically be to add a third star alongside No. 7 and Jayson Tatum. Finding a slew of role players hasn’t done the trick, but an NBA Analysis Network mock trade proposal swapping Grant Williams, Danilo Gallinari, Payton Pritchard, and a 2026 first-round pick for DeMar DeRozan is worthy of consideration.

DeRozan would add a third option capable of taking command of the offense, though he himself has not gotten past the Eastern Conference Finals. With Chicago’s future uncertain, it’s a possibility the Bulls could put DeRozan on the trade block during a contract year, even if his isolation-heavy game makes for a less-than-smooth Celtics fit.

Chicago’s front office would hang up on the Boston Celtics after this offer

The thing is, the Bulls can get far more for DeRozan than a role player who could be due for a massive new deal in the offseason, a soon-to-be 35-year-old coming off an ACL tear, a reserve guard who is in the midst of his worst season, and a first-round pick from a team that should be in contention for the foreseeable future.

DeRozan could fetch at least two first-rounders and/or a legitimate building block in a deal, especially for a team ready to hand him a contract extension. The C’s assets here just wouldn’t get a deal done, more likely resulting in a hung-up phone call than a completed trade.

In terms of teams more likely to engage the Bulls in a DeRozan trade, the Kings and Clippers could make sense as teams that could consider themselves one piece away. Meanwhile, a return to the Raptors could be within reason if they decide to remove long-term money from their roster while wanting to remain competitive, and have an elite trade deadline trade chip, with a new head coach.

Home/Celtics News