The Boston Celtics are doing their best to prove that their ridiculous turnaround last season that saw them go all the way to the 2022 NBA Finals wasn't a fluke. Throughout the first half of the 2022-23 season, the Celtics have been the best team in the NBA, and they currently hold the best record in the NBA at the top of the Eastern Conference.
Boston has cooled off a bit recently, but they still remain arguably the most dangerous team in the league. Led by maybe the best star duo in the league in Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, the C's have jumped out to a 26-11 record so far this season. With a strong supporting cast behind them, it's become an increasingly tough task to defeat the Celtics.
Still, the C's aren't perfect, and their offense has hit a bit of a roadblock after a historic start to the season. The 2023 NBA trade deadline is closing in, and while it initially seemed like the Celtics wouldn't be in much of a rush to make tons of moves at the trade deadline, it seems like they have a couple of needs that could be addressed through trades. So with that in mind, let's take a look at two potential trades Boston could make before the deadline that would help them overcome their recent woes.
2. Celtics give up a pair of draft picks for Alec Burks
While the Celtics have two of the best wing players in the league in Tatum and Brown, their depth behind them isn't very good. Typically one of these guys is going to be on the floor at all times, but they don't have a ton of flexibility to work with at the position in the first place. Grant Williams is a center/power forward hybrid, and Sam Hauser has emerged as a solid perimeter player, but other than that, there isn't much here.
Boston could definitely benefit from picking up another strong wing player at the deadline, which leads us to Alec Burks. Burks is a versatile wing player who fits a similar mold as Brown; he can play in both the front and backcourt when needed, and he is exactly the type of player the C's could use to round out their rotation.
Burks is having a strong season with the Detroit Pistons (14.2 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 2.1 APG, 46.4 FG%, 44.7 3P%) and the Pistons will likely look to cash in on him and get some sort of future assets for him considering their status as the worst team in the NBA right now. Burks won't be worth a ton since he is already 31 years old, but he could draw a couple of draft picks or a young player in return.
The Celtics would opt to go with the former route, and send over a pair of picks in exchange for Burks. Burks is a solid defender, and his lights-out three-point shooting would give the C's another option to turn to on offense, which they could certainly use right now. Burks would be a cheaper option who could immediately come in and fill a need, making him a top trade target for Boston.
1. Celtics pick up Jalen Smith using Payton Pritchard as the centerpiece of their trade package
Boston could also use a bit of help with their big man rotation, even though they recently got Robert Williams III back in December. They are going to need to keep Al Horford fresh for the postseason, but aside from Williams and the aforementioned Grant Williams, who acts as a small-ball center at times, Boston doesn't have a true big they can turn to to spare these guys a rest on the bench.
Smith is technically a power forward by trade, but at 6'10, he's big enough to fill the center position if needed. Smith has been solid ever since getting more minutes with the Indiana Pacers, and while his numbers aren't exactly outrageous (10 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 1 APG, 45.3 FG%) he's still only 22 years old, and has a lot of potential that could be tapped into with the C's.
Considering the upside Smith has shown, though, that could make him a pricier option than the Celtics would typically like to pursue. The easiest possible solution here would involve getting rid of Payton Pritchard, who has struggled to find consistent minutes in the Celtics crowded backcourt, in exchange for Smith.
Boston likely would have to tack on another draft pick to land Smith, but this could be a deal worth pulling the trigger on. Smith could help the Celtics on the glass, where they haven't been particularly great all season, and while he's only hitting 27.7 percent on threes this season, he has the potential to be a perimeter spacing big man if he can hone in on his shooting. It would be tough to part with Pritchard, who has quickly become a fan-favorite in Boston, but it may be necessary if this team wants to win a championship.
Follow Us
Subscribe