The Boston Celtics are a promising team that has turned from a group of overachievers into a next-level playoff team. But although the team has had some recent success, the Celtics still need another superstar to pair alongside Isaiah Thomas if they want to reach the final stage of a contending team.
Some players have developed into valuable pieces to the puzzle for the Celtics, such as Jae Crowder. Crowder, who is quietly becoming a borderline all-star on both ends of the floor, has in my mind become the second coming of Jimmy Butler, and could potentially be a go-to scorer if he continues improving.
With this in mind, could a franchise player make the Celtics serious contenders? Let's take a look at who the Celtics could acquire before the trade deadline.
1. Blake Griffin
Okay so maybe this is a little far-fetched, but let's think it through. Blake Griffin is by far one of the most dominant athletes in the NBA today, and although he has a relatively good situation in Los Angeles with CP3 (Chris Paul) and DeAndre Jordan, a move to Boston would be interesting for both parties. Recently, Blake Griffin was involved in an altercation with a member of the Clippers staff, breaking his hand in the process. This setback has put his recovery time to be around 4-6 weeks, and the Clippers will have to make due without him. The Clippers, which have won seven of their last ten games and are currently fourth on the Western Conference standings, haven't seemed to be missing Griffin all that much.
ENTER DANNY AINGE.
The Celtics General Manager has definitely proved to be a master when it comes to trades, managing to snatch future draft picks left and right these last few years. And this is where he could potentially get a return on his investment.
The proposed Trade:
Boston Celtics get: Blake Griffin.
Los Angeles Clippers get: David Lee, 2016 Brooklyn Nets 1st round pick, Jae Crowder.
Although these salaries might not exactly match, the Celtics would not hesitate to make the deal easier for the Clippers, mainly because it's freaking BLAKE GRIFFIN. The only way I could see things falling apart would be if the Clippers demanded Jae Crowder in the trade. Crowder, which has quickly emerged as a borderline two-way athlete, would be the one asset which i believe would make Ainge hesitate. But at the end of the day, does the risk outweigh the risk?
2. Victor Oladipo
The Situation: The Magic have recently been rumored to want to blow up their roster, and they are willing to deal some intriguing pieces before the trade deadline. One of the most valuable players they have to offer would have to be victor Oladipo, who is a dynamic athlete who often times finishes above the rim. Perhaps the Magic would be willing to give up Oladipo for a decent price, and if the Celtics manage to keep their main core intact without giving up too much in assets, going after Oladipo could be a valuable addition to a team who needs more instant offense.
The Trade Proposal:
Boston Celtics receive: Victor Oladipo.
Orlando Magic receive: Jonas Jerebko, 2016 Dallas Mavericks 1st Round Pick.
Why it makes sense for each club
Boston Celtics: Oladipo brings instant offense and playmaking ability off the bench coming off with Marcus Smart. The Celtics get a great, young player and are one step closer to Title Contention.
Orlando Magic: Jonas Jerbeko brings the stretch 4 option to the Magic bench, plus Orlando gets a pick from the Dallas Mavericks to help them make bigger and better deals in the near future.
Perhaps the only reason this trade wouldn't happen is because it is selling low on Oladipo, who has been playing decent basketball this season. However, if the magic do want to move on from Oladipo this package might not be the worst they could receive.
3. Carmelo Anthony
The Celtics may have looked to get Carmelo for some time now, and I believe I have found a trade that would work out for all parties involved. Considering Carmelo's situation at the moment, the Celtics should be thrilled to get an All-Star who makes shots at will. In order to acquire him, however, they would have to give up their coveted first round pick (courtesy of the Brooklyn Nets, which is projected to be top three), and one of their best defensive players in Avery Bradley.
Carmelo is in a rebuild-like situation in New York, and although it's been fun hanging with the projected rookie of the year in Kristaps Porzingis, a move to Boston might be the best chance at a Title he could get, should he be able to lure another All-Star to Boston with help from Isaiah Thomas.
The Proposed Trade:
Boston Celtics get: Carmelo Anthony
New York Knicks receive: Kevin Durant
Oklahoma City Thunder receive: Avery Bradley, David Lee, Brooklyn Nets 1st Round Pick (Unprotected).
Why each team would do this:
Boston: You get a dynamic scorer who can post up, drive, and shoot at will. He also brings leadership and can get a clutch bucket in the moment. Pairing him with Isaiah Thomas could potentially lead to a new Big Three sooner rather than later.
(Successful)
New York: You get one of the best players on the planet who, at 6'11, can pull up from anywhere on the court. He's also considered one of the best players during crunch time in the league, often times using his length and footwork to break down the defense and get the win for his team. This trade would also allow New York to try to convince Durant to stay during Free Agency, and the large Market is something that might appeal to one of the best there is.
(Successful)
Oklahoma City: At the moment, it seems to be the Russel Westbrook show, at least for now. Pairing Westbrook with Bradley would make the most lethal 1-2 combo in the league, especially on the defensive side. And now that Bradley is hitting his stride offensively, it wouldn't be a huge drop off in points for the Thunder. And then there's the possibility of acquiring Ben Simmons with a top three pick in the upcoming NBA Draft, which would make the Westbrook-Bradley-Simmons trio a potential big three in the making.
(Successful)
Hopefully the Celtics build a contender before the deadline. They have the potential pieces to make something special here, and all they need is a superstar to put them among the elite in the east. Hopefully Celtics fans will have something even bigger to root for during the second half of the season.
