BOSTON — Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge shook up the NBA landscape — and the direction of his franchise — last December when he traded point guard Rajon Rondo to the Dallas Mavericks.
As the Celtics welcome the Mavericks to TD Garden on Wednesday, it’s remarkable to note how much things have changed since then: Just two players from that trade still play for the teams to which they were dealt.
It’s safe to say both of those players — Celtics swingman Jae Crowder and Mavericks big man Dwight Powell — are making the most of their new surroundings.
Crowder enjoyed a strong second half to the 2014-15 season, but he has taken his game to a new level after signing a five-year contract with Boston this offseason.
Crowder has solidified his reputation as a stellar defender, leading the NBA with an average of three steals per game. He’s been no slouch on offense, either, averaging 10.8 points in 30.4 minutes per game while starting in every contest after playing just 10.6 minutes per game and averaging 3.6 points per contest in his last half-season with Dallas.
Crowder’s emergence as a key cog in Boston’s system might be a surprise to some, but not to the team that drafted him in the second round back in 2012.
“Crowder is a terrific player,” Mavericks head coach Rick Carlisle said before Wednesday’s game. “We knew he was a rising star with us.”
Of course, Rondo didn’t exactly thrive during his half-season in Dallas. Yet Powell’s play has given Carlisle and Co. a silver lining.
The 24-year-old is nearly averaging a double-double (10.5 points and 8.1 rebounds per game) and has the team’s second-best player efficiency rating (20.9) behind Dirk Nowitzki. For a team that lost out on the DeAndre Jordan sweepstakes in embarrassing fashion, Powell has been a pleasant surprise in Dallas’ frontcourt.
“Dwight’s been great,” Celtics head coach Brad Stevens said of Powell, who spent just under three months in Boston. “To average (10.5 points per game and 8.1 rebounds per game) like he is, and do all the different things he’s doing is really a credit to him.
“We really liked Dwight. … He’s thrived, and he’s a perfect fit for (Dallas).”
Thumbnail photo via Mark L. Baer/USA TODAY Sports Images
