Monday night at TD Garden, the Boston Celtics got an up-close look at a potential new teammate. At least, if they act on ESPN's latest suggestion. Their team of insiders shared their best trade fits for this year's title contenders. Fittingly, that group includes the squad that is defying expectations and has surged into second in the Eastern Conference.
Their pitch to Boston is to acquire a big man to bolster their options at center and to trade Anfernee Simons to get out of the luxury tax. If they do so, part two of their plan is to strike a deal for Chicago Bulls guard Ayo Dosunmu.
The fifth-year guard registered 15 points, five assists, three rebounds, and a block in 28 minutes off the bench in the Bulls' 115-101 loss to the Celtics.
Celtics could trade for Ayo Dosunmu
Dosunmu's ability to push the pace would benefit Boston, whose offense ranks last in pace and 19th in average speed, per NBA.com. His three-point shooting has fluctuated over his career. However, this season, he's knocking down a career-best 43 percent of the 4.0 shots he's hoisting from beyond the arc.
Furthermore, he's a fiesty on-ball defender. His size, speed, and competitive drive on that end of the floor make life difficult for his defensive assignments. Celtics fans would love the energy the six-foot-four guard brings off the bench.
It's important to note that the former Illinois standout is on an expiring contract. He's making $7.5 million this season and is in line for a bit of a pay bump. The soon-to-be 26-year-old is well worth the raise. Boston likely wouldn't take issue with the cost.
Why the Celtics might prefer not to trade for Dosunmu
However, trading for a rental would come as a surprise. As previously noted, the exception could be if the organization is confident about re-signing that individual. Still, Dosunmu will have a competitive market. The risk of sacrificing draft capital and then losing him in the summer might steer the Celtics in another direction.
It's also worth noting that a part of ESPN's case for this multi-pronged approach was to reset the repeater tax. However, doing so by the end of this league year would only be the first step. Would they really do so again next season? With Jayson Tatum back and the team remaining in contention in the wide-open Eastern Conference without him, that may not be how Boston operates.
There's certainly a case for trading Simons to acquire a center, perhaps Ivica Zubac, shedding salary, and then striking a deal for a player like Dosunmu. If they can re-sign the latter, that could be the path to building a balanced roster that can contend with the top teams in the West.
However, there's no guarantee they'll have the most enticing offer for Dosunmu, or that the Bulls will part with him by February's trade deadline. Parting with Simons but creating a hole in the backcourt behind Derrick White and Payton Pritchard would not move the Celtics forward.