Boston Celtics could reap rewards of All-NBA blockbuster
By Sam LaFrance
It’s been an active offseason for the Boston Celtics so far. They’ve landed former All-Star big man Kristaps Porzingis, as well as a handful of future draft picks. President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens has proven that he’s not afraid to make tough calls, sending Marcus Smart to the Memphis Grizzlies as part of the Porzingis deal.
There have been rumblings that Stevens and the Celtics’ front office aren’t finished just yet. On Wednesday, MassLive’s Brian Robb floated the idea of Boston getting in on a three-team trade involving Toronto Raptors star Pascal Siakam.
Just not in the way that many fans would think.
“[Toronto]’s depth at point guard on the roster though is still quite shallow with Malachi Flynn as the only backup at this point,” Robb wrote. “Given that the Raptors showed interest in Malcolm Brogdon last year per sources before he was dealt to the Celtics, it’s fair to wonder whether Toronto would still have interest in him or Payton Pritchard in some type of three-team swap with players/assets from another team heading towards Boston and Siakam heading to a third team.”
Which teams would the Boston Celtics help facilitate a Pascal Siakam trade?
Robb doesn’t specifically name-drop any teams that may be pursuing the former All-NBA forward. However, according to NBA Insider Marc Stein, two teams to watch in the hunt for Siakam are the Indiana Pacers and Atlanta Hawks.
“The Indiana Pacers, league sources say, have emerged as a legitimate trade contender for Siakam,” Stein reported on July 10. “The Atlanta Hawks, of course, have been pursuing Siakam since last month’s draft. It’s believed that there are other suitors whose identities have yet to be confirmed.”
It’s unclear what the packages would be in either scenario, but the Boston Celtics could get something worthwhile if they get involved. It just depends on how involved they want to get.
In the case that they throw Pritchard into the deal, they’d probably manage to get a few second-round picks back in return. Stevens recently spoke about the value of those picks, saying that they do hold some weight around the league.
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In the case that Brogdon is included in a three-teamer, perhaps the reward gets a bit sweeter. Sure, the reigning Sixth Man of the Year is battling a forearm injury, but he shouldn’t be viewed as a negative asset.
At the very least — it’s not hard to imagine that the Celtics could land Buddy Hield in the scenario that the Pacers chase after Siakam. If it’s Atlanta maybe De’Andre Hunter is the player that they get back.