Don't Let These Games Fool You, The Boston Celtics Still Need Help

By Adam Zimmerman-Diaz

Stuart Cahill - BH

Before the Celtics’ 121-109 win last night over the Atlanta Hawks, many people were begging for the 14-14 Boston Celtics to make a trade, signing, or really anything that could alleviate this team’s woes and get Jeff Teague off of the basketball court. However, like they seem to have done all year, we saw a completely different Celtics team in their recent victory over Atlanta following their loss to Atlanta just two nights prior. This inconsistency makes it easy for Celtics fans to become reactionary. In one game, the Celtics look like contenders, besting the Clippers in LA; the next, look like putrid dog excrement against Detroit. This has caused not only the most interesting of times on Twitter but also has made Celtics fans consider why Danny Ainge isn’t doing anything. That’s the question on every Celtics fan’s mind after every loss and most wins. However, after victories like the ones over Los Angeles, Denver, and Atlanta, the pressure seems to come off of Ainge and other executives, as the Celtics seem to be the contender that we all dreamed of when they’re healthy. This may seem like a fair justification, but it is not. This is an excuse and now, more than ever, the pressure must be on Ainge and Co. to make a move.

As of this moment, the Celtics are not contenders and with the current roster, are not particularly close. The Celtics are ranked 28th in bench scoring this year, only besting the Hawks and tied with the Pelicans for the worst in the NBA. While other “contenders” in the NBA are loaded at the top (see the Nets’ big three) or have some of the deepest benches in the league (see the Utah Jazz and Jordan Clarkson), the Celtics seem to be the exception. The Celtics don’t have an MVP contender, like Joel Embiid (who I consider to be the frontrunner), or a game-breaking player like Nikola Jokic, but they do have the most dynamic wing pairing in the league, and that should count for something, right? Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are amazing but in the modern NBA, two top 15 scorers just aren’t enough to break through into the top tier of teams. So, you might then ask, well, if they aren’t enough, then who is? Kemba Walker and Marcus Smart? They're two good pieces to have around Tatum and Brown, but their problem is health. Smart and Kemba have only played six games with each other this season, in which the Celtics went 1-5 and got outscored by 17 points combined (Thank you Cavs). However, two great players like that meshed last year and will again, but even then, looking at the Eastern Conference alone, that doesn’t feel like enough. Philadelphia is rolling right now, holding a 20-10 record, sitting atop the Eastern Conference. With Joel Embiid (who nobody can seem to cover) and a solid cast around him, Doc Rivers’ Sixers look primed to finally break through the second round of the playoffs. The Nets, riding a five-game winning streak and holding the best collection of talent in the league sit right behind them, inching on their heels towards the top seed. Not to mention that the Celtics got molly whopped by 28 on Christmas by this Nets team without their new addition of superstar guard, James Harden. To say the least, this Nets team is a very tough out. With all of this talent in the top two slots, it almost makes you forget about the number one seed from last year, the Milwaukee Bucks, who are currently a game and a half ahead of the Celtics. With a revamped roster and a re-energized Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Bucks are still a formidable foe and contender in the Eastern Conference. So, where does this leave the Celtics? Barely clinging to fourth in the east is definitely not where we had imagined the Celtics to be 28 games into the season. After losing Gordon Hayward in the offseason, most saw this offseason as the best of a bad situation, signing Tristan Thompson and Jeff Teague (who has been a bust of a signing, to say the least), recouping a $28.5 million trade exception, the largest in NBA History, and signing Tatum to a lengthy extension, most thought that after another Eastern Conference Finals defeat, the Celtics would be right back there again. However, the trajectory looks skewed right now. Teague has been awful, shooting 32% from the field and posting the lowest points per game of his career since 2011. If he’s not throwing the ball away, he’s sitting on the bench messing with Tacko’s shoes. Tristan Thompson had a rough start but has turned into a solid contributor alongside Boston’s other bigs, Daniel Theis, and Robert Williams. In February, he’s averaging 9.4 points and 7.9 rebounds per game, while shooting just under 63% from the field. However, the trade exception has amounted to nothing, and thanks to COVID, Tatum missed two weeks and is still feeling the lingering effects of the virus. So what does Danny do? I propose a trade. I know that most people want to cut Jeff Teague and bring in someone like 2010s Celtics legend, Isaiah Thomas, but that just isn’t realistic. What I’m proposing are three different, realistic, trade options for the Celtics that could help them get back on track to dreams of a 2020-2021 NBA Championship. Now, when coming up with these hypothetical trades, I had three things in mind.

1. Is it realistic?

2. Would Danny Ainge do it?

3. Would the other team do it?

Without further adieu, here we go.

1. Celtics add bench scoring.

Kimani Okearah

Celtics get: Harrison Barnes

Kings get: Grant Williams, Carsen Edwards, 2022 unprotected 1st round pick, 2021 unprotected 2nd round pick

In my view, this deal would work wonders for the Celtics offense and defense. Harrison Barnes might not be the first name that comes to mind when dreaming of an overnight flip of a switch, but trust me, Barnes is the real deal. With championship experience and a contract to boot, Barnes is the perfect 6th man for this Celtics team. At 6’8 and averaging 15.8 points per game on 48% shooting from the field and just under 39% from three, Barnes gives the Celtics a player with size and shooting who is a dynamic scorer off the bench. Barnes could alleviate Tatum and Brown and allow them to be fresh down the stretch of games. Not only is the offense there with Barnes, but so is the D. Although advanced metrics might not show it, Barnes certainly passes the eye test on defense and played crucial defensive roles alongside Andre Iguodala on Warrior teams that went to the NBA Finals in 2015 and 2016. With his size and 6.2 rebounds a game, Barnes provides Brad Stevens with a more reliable guy than Semi Ojeleye, Javonte Green, or rookie Aaron Nesmith to call on when needing a bench boost. The Celtics would use up the TPE and give up a couple of picks and young guys but would get back a proven veteran who can help them win now. The Kings who are looking to build around their young backcourt of De'aaron Fox and Tyrese Haliburton would shed a massive contract and pick up a first-round pick as well as two solid young pieces in Grant Williams and Carsen Edwards. To me, this is a win-win, but it does have some cons. The Kings may be looking for more draft compensation or view Barnes as a part of their core going forward. Knowing the questionable management in Sacramento, they can be very unpredictable when it comes to trades. The Celtics might not be willing to use the TPE on Barnes, as he may not be viewed as the game-changer that they bring in to replace Gordon Hayward. After all, with the Celtics’ cap situation, they may be looking for a big fish piece, as they’ll be cap locked well into 2023. Overall, I think that when push comes to shove, if the Celtics look to make a run now, don’t overlook Harrison Barnes.

2. Celtics commit to the present and the future.

Derick E. Hingle - USA Today Sports

Celtics get: Lonzo Ball, JJ Redick

Pelicans get: Aaron Nesmith, Romeo Langford, Grant Williams, Jeff Teague, 2021 unprotected 1st round pick, 2021 unprotected 2nd round pick, 2022 unprotected 2nd round pick, 2025 unprotected 2nd round pick (via Memphis)

The reasons for the Celtics to do this trade are obvious. Picking up an elite shooter in JJ Redick as well as a guy in Lonzo Ball, who could end up being the point guard of the future is a no-brainer. However, the price would be steep. Langford, Nesmith, and Williams all have a tremendous amount of potential. This potential simply cannot be fulfilled on a team contending for a championship. With budding superstars in Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram, the Pelicans need young guys who can grow alongside them. With Langford, Nesmith, and Williams, they get that. Along with the veteran Teague, who is better suited mentoring on a young team, rather than failing to contribute on one trying to win now, this trade gives the Pelicans a good cast of characters to put around their existing core. If rumors of Lonzo Ball’s availability are true, then they clearly don’t see him as part of their future plans. The Pelicans have been actively shopping Redick, who according to Shams Charania, prefers a team in the northeast. Giving up three young players and four draft picks may seem like a big haul for two guys who definitely aren’t seen as superstars, but their impact would be huge on the Celtics. Redick is a known commodity and an elite shooter. After starting off the season slow, the veteran two-guard is shooting 54% from three in February, and with the Celtics needing shooters to space the floor for Kemba Walker, he would be a perfect addition. But, with a contract that reflects his age, Redick is a short-term, go for it all right-now option. The bigger piece of this deal is Lonzo Ball. After a tumultuous and hectic first two years in LA, the young guard has seen his ups and downs after being dealt in a megadeal for superstar Anthony Davis. However, his upside as a playmaker and defender provides the Celtics with a player who could carry them into the future when Kemba Walker likely walks or takes a lesser role and contract when his 4 year, $140 million megadeal expires in 2023. Lonzo Ball’s downsides are there, though. There are worries about the inconsistent shooting, his thin frame, his off-the-court baggage of his father, not to mention the fact that he is due a new contract at the end of this year. The Celtics would likely pony up that extension, as he is a restricted free agent, but it wouldn’t be the max-level contracts given to Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum. ESPN projects that Lonzo Ball’s contract would be in the range of about $18 million per year in a new extension. In addition to a relatively cheap contract, Ball’s shooting woes have been going away slowly but surely. He’s shooting a career-high 38.3% from three this season, including a respectable 47% in the month of February. However, the likelihood of this trade hinges on New Orleans. If the relationship with Lonzo is really as toxic as they say it is, then I think it’s likely that the C’s at least inquire about the 23-year-old point guard. The situation in New Orleans is one to keep a close eye on when considering this trade.

3. Celtics work their magic and go for it right now.

Harry Arron - Getty Images

Celtics get: Evan Fournier, Aaron Gordon

Magic get: Tristan Thompson, Payton Pritchard, Grant Williams, 2021 unprotected 2nd round pick, 2022 unprotected 2nd round pick

This one is gonna hurt for some Celtics fans, including myself. I’ve loved what Payton ‘FastPP’ Pritchard has done all year and I think the kid has a bright future. Thompson and Williams have proven to be stalwarts of Boston’s front line all year. However, to compete with the big boys in the east, the Celtics need dynamic scorers and playmakers across the board and that’s exactly what they get with Fournier and Gordon. Fournier is an elite shooter and scorer who can plug into any lineup and contribute. He would be a true scoring replacement for Hayward. Averaging 18.5 points per game while shooting 38% from three, Fournier gives the Celtics’ lineup a nice kick off the bench or even starting depending on Kemba’s rest days or matchups. He’s a proven veteran who will come in right away and create spacing for Kemba and give the Celtics even more scoring threats. The downside is his contract. I wasn’t kidding when I said the Celtics would be going for it right now with Fournier because they would be. He’s on an expiring contract and the Celtics cannot afford to pay him going into the 2021 offseason. If you want to win with Fournier, the window is this season. Gordon is a bit more of a wild card. He’s been known as an elite dunker for most of his career, but watch some film of the Orlando Magic and he’s proven to be a very versatile player. Brad loves guys who can do a bit of everything and Gordon has shown to be just that. He is a versatile defender at 6’8 and can play 3 through 5 in Brad’s system. His offense has taken leaps year by year, as his three-point shooting and playmaking ability has improved drastically since entering the league as a raw, powerful dunker out of Arizona. His injury problems are a concern, though. He’s currently out for about a month with an ankle injury and has had injuries before. However, he’s been able to adjust his game to his damaged body and would be an interesting fit in different lineups alongside Tatum, Brown, Theis, and Robert Williams. The Magic could look to do this deal as a way to try and get some compensation for both players who are likely to leave Orlando in the next two years. Pritchard gives them a bridge point guard until Markelle Fultz can return and try and earn his spot again. Thompson gives them another veteran big, who they seem to love, and Williams gives Orlando another versatile power forward who is very different from Gordon but could prove useful with their young core. Ainge would definitely be taking the biggest risk with this move as it uses the TPE on players who aren’t likely to be in Boston for longer than 1 to 3 years, but this move would definitely give the Celtics the depth to start to climb the standings and put themselves in a prime position to make a playoff run.

So what’s next?

The Celtics appear to be starting to turn a corner, but this team is barely above .500 and has been extremely inconsistent in important games. Even Ainge knows that something has to change as he recently admitted on 98.5’s Toucher and Rich, when he said, “We’re not good enough right now and we all know that. We need to get better.” It’s clear that something needs to be done and although a huge swing for Bradley Beal or an Isaiah Thomas reunion is not 100% out of the question, they just aren’t anywhere close to realistic. Nobody knows what Danny Ainge and the Celtics will do before the March 25th trade deadline, but all we know right now is that this Celtics team is not good enough to win a championship. In the words of Danny Ainge, “we need to get better.” How the Celtics do that is up to Ainge and for the first time in a while, the pressure is on.