By: Chuddy | 8 AM |
With the trade deadline mere hours away, rumors are picking up around the NBA, and the scuttlebutt continues to be that the Celtics are being aggressive to try and upgrade the roster despite a lack of assets to trade with.
I’ve already done a (very) deep dive on options for the Celtics to acquire using the $6.2 million Grant Williams Traded Player Exception, but some concrete reporting came out Monday from Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. Scotto said of the Celtics:
“The Celtics are looking to package some of their minimum contract players at the end of the rotation and draft pick compensation to bolster their bench heading into the playoffs, league sources told HoopsHype.
Boston has expressed interest in a wide range of trade targets, including Kelly Olynyk, Delon Wright, Andre Drummond, and others, league sources told HoopsHype.”
This makes sense as the Celtics clearly wouldn't want to part with any of their top six players, and likely don’t want to part with Sam Hauser or Payton Pritchard either. But if they could package the rest of the roster for another meaningful rotation player that would seem like a boost to their championship odds.
The three players mentioned by Scotto are all pretty different. Old friend, Olynyk is a stretch big who can shoot the hell out of the ball and put it on the floor. He’d be a natural fit in the C’s pace and space offensive system. Wright is a veteran floor general. He’d be a reliable two-way backup point guard, who can defend some bigger guards and make shots as well as run the offense. Drummond is more of a conventional center. Truly one of the best rebounders of all time, he offers little utility on either end when he’s more than a few feet away from the basket.
All of these players fill a specific role and one that would be useful for Boston off the bench, but it doesn’t seem very realistic. As much as I’d love an Olynyk reunion, Kelly is currently making $12.1 million in the final year of his deal. That’s a number that is almost impossible for the Celtics to match with outgoing salary; they’d need to include Pritchard, and at least three other players (likely four) just to get to the $12 million, and the Jazz would almost certainly want draft picks as well.
I don’t think the Celtics are going to completely gut their depth just to add one bench player on an expiring deal and there’s no way they’re adding Horford into the mix. Plus, Kelly has been playing really well; he’s important to the Jazz and if they do trade him, they can get a much better package than what the Celts can offer. If they buy him out, I’d take him on the Celts in a heartbeat, but that seems like a long shot.
Wright is in a similar boat, but at least slightly more realistic. He makes $8.2 million in the final year of his deal, which is about $2 million more than the Williams TPE. The Celtics could cobble together four minimum contracts to get to this number but that’s still a big ask. Do the Wizards really want to take on a package of Svi, Banton, Stevens, and Brisset for one player? Obviously, the Celtics would have to throw in picks, and at that point, it’s a lot to give up for a bit player. Plus that still is likely an unappealing package for Washington, one that other teams could likely beat.
That brings us to Drummond. The 30-year-old center, Drummond is making just $3.4 million in the final year of his deal. His value around the league is likely not very high and he’d fit easily into the Williams TPE. If the Celtics want to add a proven big to their bench, one can single-handedly improve the team's (suddenly struggling) rebounding, Andre is the guy. He’s easily the most realistically attainable, as a 2nd round pick or two should do the trick. I’ve never been a huge Drummond fan, but his rebounding prowess is undeniable. If he’s willing to sacrifice to help a team win at this point in his career, I’m willing to give him a shot off the bench, as he can add a dynamic that has been missing.
Photo credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
