The Case For And Against 5 Potential Business Goals For The Celtics

As the Boston Celtics enter the All-Star break, the biggest question around the team – despite a disastrous streak, shattered by a three-game winning streak – is whether Danny Ainge will use the record of 28, $ 5 million traded player exception (TPE) before the deadline.

Ainge has claimed that he could launch the box in the offseason, so we touch on that here and take a look at some pros and cons of trading for five of the players most frequently discussed by fans and analysts.

Nikola Vucevic, Orlando

The case for: It’s one of the simplest: Vucevic is a very good offensive player. He He’s not as good a passer as Al Horford proved during his tenure at the Celtics, but he would give Boston a major play that he currently does not have. His contract goes down slightly in structure and ends at $ 22 million in 2023. A small amount of salary is expected to come out, but it can be assumed that Orlando would require players to make up the difference anyway.

The case against: The magic would probably need to be blown away. A lot of teams will have an interest, so the Celtics would likely have to beat other offers, which would likely require a lot of picking. How willing are you to mortgage a great man’s future, especially with Robert Williams already on the roster? Williams’ play recently suggests he’ll need fewer big men in front of him in the rotation, not more.

Harrison Barnes, Sacramento

The case for: Barnes is one of the Celtics’ most popular potential targets. He’s a veteran who won a title as a starter, and he seems like a great citizen even on the Kings rebuild. He also has a strong season overall – 16.6 points per game, 40.3% from 3-pointers – and has rebounded from a recent cold spell. While Walker’s recent push is real and lasting for the rest of the year, another great wing that can shoot, create a little and defend makes a lot of sense for the Celtics. Barnes’ contract shrinks over the next two years and ends at a relatively friendly $ 18.5 million at age 30.

Meanwhile, Sacramento fell off a cliff, losing nine of its last ten. The Kings could be ready to sell soon.

The case against: Barnes’ deal would eat up almost all of Boston’s TPE. Are the Celtics convinced Barnes would solve all of their problems? On paper it makes a lot of sense, but its timeline isn’t perfect alongside Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. It’s not the end of the world if he helps make the Celtics a contender, but if Danny Ainge has bigger goals this summer, Barnes might not be what he’s looking to do.

Aaron Gordon, Orlando

The case for: The Magic seem to like Gordon’s defense – he’s versatile with great athleticism and a 7-foot wingspan. Offensively, he’s shooting a career-high 36.9 percent at 3 points and has hit 46.7 percent of his catch-and-shoot triples, according to the NBA stats site. Gordon is 25, just a year older than Jaylen Brown, so he fits the Boston timeline better than Harrison Barnes.

Meanwhile, his contract goes down year after year and fits comfortably into the TPE of the Celtics. In theory, Boston wouldn’t even need to swap a player to make it work, although Orlando – of course – would demand players in exchange for Gordon).

The case against: Gordon could be back in the lineup as the trade deadline draws near after suffering a 4-6 week ankle injury on February 1, but the Celtics would like to be confident in his health heading into the playoffs. Demand for Orlando would likely be high, too – hyper-athletic and versatile forwards don’t come cheap.

Also, how confident are the Celtics that Gordon’s shooting numbers are real? Prior to this year, he had never shot 35% deep and had had a few disastrous seasons (last year’s 30.8 mark is scary).

Thaddeus Young, Chicago

The case for: Want a reliable veteran? They aren’t much more reliable than Thad Young, 32, who has been everywhere and seen it all. Young isn’t a ground spacer, but he’s pulling 60 percent off the ground this season with a variety of weird hooks and punches in the paint, and he’s a reliable slasher. Interestingly, as a forward, he averages 4.4 assists and only 1.9 turnover per game. Defensively, it can cover several positions.

Young earns around $ 13.5 million, so he fits comfortably into Boston’s TPE and could be part of a multi-move deadline. His contract is partially guaranteed at $ 6 million next season.

The case against: Do the Celtics need more? Sure, getting Marcus Smart back will help a lot, but trading Gordon Hayward for a year or two of Thad Young would be a major loss for the Celtics, and Danny Ainge seems to be thinking a little bigger, and Young could be too far away. outside of the Celtics’ timeline.

Larry Nance Jr., Cleveland

The case for: Nance is another wide forward who can defend multiple positions well and is a smart, opportunistic goalscorer who probably wouldn’t have much trouble fitting in alongside a trio of heavily used all-star. It pulls 38.1% at a distance of 3 points and just under 66% around the rim.

The case against: Nance is a weirdly bad free throw shooter – this season he’s making 57.1% of his attempts.

Realistically, the only other case against Nance is that he’s probably not a decisive prospect. He helps in a lot of little ways, but the 18-17-year-old Celtics feel they need someone to help in a big way. If Boston could find a way to acquire Nance and another impact player, he would be a solid addition.

Do not do anything

The case for: Are the Celtics a profession far from becoming a competitor this year? Otherwise, the player they acquire will have to help them improve now and will always be a good acquisition in the future as they continue to build a team. Will such a player be available before the deadline?

The case against: As Ryan bernardoni pointed out, the trading market could dry out quickly this summer, and trading now ensures an additional postseason with this player on the roster. If the player expires, trading for them now is the only way to get them on the roster. The Celtics will also lose their TPE if they don’t use it this summer. Other teams could seek to take advantage of it.

Other options

This is your reminder that Danny Ainge almost always seems to have original ideas and any roster of players often seems to miss its real mark. The Celtics will certainly find some use for the TPE, but expect the unexpected.

The trade deadline is March 25.