The NBA trade deadline is Thursday, and some Boston Celtics fans are hoping the trajectory of the team’s season looks a lot different come 3 p.m. ET.
The C’s have been linked to too many players to count at this point. They also have a $28.5 million traded player exception to work with, and president of basketball operations Danny Ainge has admitted the roster he assembled lacks the qualities possessed by legitimate contenders.
It’s hard to know for sure, but there’s a lot hinting toward Boston making its first midseason trade in six years. It all depends what the goal is.
Most of the names being tossed around in trade rumors are perfectly fine players who probably would make helpful contributions if acquired, but there doesn’t seem to be anyone available who is capable of really putting Boston over the top without the Celtics giving up more than they’re probably willing to — at least not this season.
So, what is the closest they can get to a caliber of player that takes the Celtics to another level without sacrificing either Jayson Tatum or Jaylen Brown?
We fired up the old trade machine to figure it out, and here’s a thought we came up with.
Celtics receive: Nikola Vučević, Khem Birch
Magic receive: Robert Williams, Aaron Nesmith, Tristan Thompson, 2021 first-round pick, 2023 first-round pick
If you want to win now, this might be one of the more attainable ways to do it without giving up Jaylen Brown or someone of equal untouchable value to bring in, say, Bradley Beal.
We’re ignoring the fact that Orlando reportedly doesn’t want to move Vučević, because why wouldn’t the Magic say that? The Magic obviously have a vested interest in getting as much for him as they can, and they’re more likely to get better packages to sweeten the pot.
But if the trade machine allows this hypothetical, then who says no?
Obviously, this deal is centered around Vučević, who is amid an All-Star season and averaging 24.5 points, 11.7 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game while shooting 40.3% from 3-point range this year.
At 6-foot-11, he brings the size and physicality the Celtics could use on defense while spacing the floor for the rest of the bunch. The Celtics currently have three centers, all with different strengths, while Vučević is quite versatile.
And since you’re parting with Thompson and Williams to acquire the 30-year-old, why not take Birch off Orlando’s hands, too? He’s not a big name, by any means, and his offensive game entails a lot of cuts, put-backs and dunks, but he’s an active big who’s strong, good on the glass and a 15 minute per game grinder. The offense you gain in Vučević makes this easier to live with, especially with how bad Boston’s defense has been.
Williams has immense potential, but he has a ways to go before he can be a huge difference maker in helping the Celtics win a title. And Thompson’s game doesn’t particularly fit with what they seem to be trying to do, anyway.
This deal might not guarantee a title, but Vučević helps you deal with Joel Embiid and Kevin Durant to maybe get out of the Eastern Conference. And that’s more than the Celtics can say they have now.
