In a recent article, Rohan Brahmbhatt of ClutchPoints suggested DeMar DeRozan as a trade target for the Boston Celtics, but it doesn’t make any sense. DeRozan, who joined the Sacramento Kings ahead of last season, is a very talented scorer at the NBA level, but he doesn’t make sense for the short-term or long-term outlook of the Celtics. But Brahmbhatt sees it differently:
“Another avenue for Boston is to address the scoring void left by Tatum with a proven veteran bucket-getter,” Brahmbhatt wrote. “Enter DeMar DeRozan, the consummate midrange assassin whose game continues to age gracefully. While he doesn’t space the floor in the traditional sense, DeRozan remains one of the most reliable half-court scorers in basketball. For a Celtics team that now leans heavily on Brown and Simons for perimeter scoring, DeRozan would bring a calming presence, a go-to option in crunch time, and a stabilizing force for second units.”
DeRozan makes no sense for the Celtics.
Why would the Celtics trade for DeMar DeRozan?
First and foremost, DeRozan is already 36 years old. He only has a few NBA years left, and if the Celtics are looking to build out a championship roster for when Jayson Tatum returns from his injury, adding someone like that doesn’t make sense.
DeRozan is an isolation-heavy scorer. The Celtics already have one of those guys on the roster heading into next season—Jaylen Brown. And once Tatum comes back, they will have two guys who need the ball in their hands to be at their best. Having a third would clog things up way too much.
Plus, taking a look at the short-term, DeRozan’s play style would get in the way of Boston developing the players it should be prioritizing right now.
Brahmbhatt completely ignored the presence of Derrick White and Payton Pritchard in his argument, both of whom should earn ample offensive opportunities with Tatum sidelined.
Developing those players will be crucial for the Celtics if they want to compete for titles again once Tatum returns to the floor.
Plus, Brahmbhatt noted that Brown and Anfernee Simons would have to carry the scoring load, so DeRozan could help alleviate the pressure off of those guys. But if Boston were to trade for DeRozan, Simons would almost definitely have to be included in the trade.
DeRozan makes $24.7 million next season, and in order for the Celtics to match that salary, they would have to trade one of Tatum, Brown, White, or Simons. Trading any of the first three guys would make no sense, so it would have to be Simons.
No matter how the argument is spun, DeRozan makes zero sense for the Celtics.