Ranking the top 3 ‘seismic trade’ targets for the Boston Celtics

The Boston Celtics have been accumulating picks this offseason, and there is a purpose behind it. Multiple reports indicate that the Cs are preparing for a “seismic trade” that could come within the next two years.

The Celtics will ultimately look for the next superstar player that requests a trade. That got us at the Houdini thinking of who should the Celtics want the most. For this exercise, we are going to assume that Jaylen Brown is being included in the deal, so the rankings are based on potential fit with Jayson Tatum.

Here are the top three targets ranked from worst to best.

Boston Celtics trade target No. 3: Giannis Antetokounmpo

Giannis Antetokounmpo is a superstar that could request a trade from the Milwaukee Bucks soon. With the Bucks struggling to get back to the NBA Finals and the ages of their current core, the window is closing for the Bucks. This could benefit the Celtics as they could position themselves to land the Greek Freak.

Making these kinds of rankings is hard because all of these players are top ten players in the league and in the conversation for best player in the world. Ultimately, I have Giannis third because of the potential fit with Tatum and the Celtics’ offense. With the way Joe Mazzulla runs his offense and the number of three-pointers he likes, Giannis is not the best fit.

If Giannis was a better shooter, this would be a no-brainer, but the idea of having one of your best players not be a good shooter is a concern.

Boston Celtics trade target No. 2: Joel Embiid

Joel Embiid is a perfect target for the Celtics, and he has been on my wishlist for a long time. Embiid is the perfect big man for today’s NBA, as he can stretch the floor and dominate inside. As we’ve written before at the Houdini, Embiid’s fit alongside Tatum would be scary for the rest of the league.

The fit between Embiid and Tatum makes him number two on the list because they would complement each other well. It’s hard for me to imagine a world where Tatum and Embiid don’t shatter records among duos and win multiple championships.

With the uncertainty of the future of the Philadelphia 76ers, it is worth monitoring Embiid’s situation.

Boston Celtics trade target No. 1: Luka Doncic

Got it! Luka magic!

Have you imagined Mike Gorman saying this to a dagger Luka Doncic three, or is that just me?

Doncic is a generational talent that belongs in Celtics green. The things he can do with the basketball are reminiscent of Kyrie Irving. Doncic would be the perfect fit next to Tatum, and they would be unlike any duo we have ever seen.

Having Doncic and Tatum on the same team would be offensive heaven for Celtics fans. Although the team’s defense would take a hit, the offensive potential is too good to pass up. Doncic is number one on this list because I think that a duo of Doncic and Tatum is most likely to win a championship over the other potential duos.

Ultimately it will be interesting to see what happens with the superstars and if the Celtics show interest.