ESPN NEWS: 3 Trade targets for the Celtics bench

admin | December 19, 2023 | Boston celtics | No Comments

Despite their NBA best 20-5 record, the Boston Celtics seem to be looking for bench improvements.

According to Shams Charania of the Athletic, the Celtics will be active in the trade market to pursue bench help.

A report likewise came out yesterday that the Celtics were one of three groups that were exceptionally intrigued by Detroit Cylinders huge Isaiah Stewart.

By and by, I wouldn’t honestly love the expansion and its majority isn’t a result of the player Stewart is but since of the death wish arrangement.

When a team extends a player’s rookie scale contract and trades them before the extension begins, it is known as the poison pill.

For this situation Meat Stew marked a 4yr/$60m freshman expansion with the Cylinders this past offseason however it doesn’t formally produce results until next season. So the present moment Stewart is making $5.2 million which would make him simpler to exchange for, however the death wish makes it so the group getting the player really needs to match the normal of his ongoing compensation and the full compensation of the impending arrangement.

In less difficult terms you simply add his ongoing compensation ($5.2m), to the full expansion he marked ($60m) and add a year.

This emerges to be about $65 million more than 5 years which is $13 million every year. So basically the Celtics would need to scrape up $13 million in agreements to finish the arrangement.

What’s more, since we aren’t exchanging Al Horford’s $10 million compensation for Stewart, it would take a colossal bundle of seat players to quit wasting time of coordinating.

Despite the fact that he’s a strong youthful player, Stewart does not merit the cash and the problem you would be going through to get him yet the following are three low support seat folks I figure the Celtics ought to focus on that wouldn’t include the issue.

Delon Wright, Washington Wizards

Maybe it’ll be a little awkward for Brad Stevens to call the Wizards for another trade, but I think this one would be worth it because Delon Wright is as steady as they come.

Wright is a 31-year-old veteran point guard who has the size, skills, and intangibles to guard 1 through 3 at 6’5” 185. He’s only appeared in eight games this season due to an MCL Sprain he suffered in November. But in 17 minutes a night he was averaging 5 points, 4 assists, 2 rebounds, and 2 steals while shooting 36% from deep.

In his short minutes, this year he’s been an advanced stats darling and he can truly do it all when it comes to shooting, defending, and driving.

He’s shooting 44% on catch and shoots this year and 67% on corner threes which ranks in the 97th percentile. The sample size is small so to paint a bigger picture he’s shot over 36% from three in six of his nine NBA seasons.

In terms of defending Delon has honestly been one of the most underrated point of attack defenders for years. Last year he ranked in the 96th percentile in overall perimeter defense and this year he ranks in the top 1% in pick pocket rate, steals, and deflections per 75 possessions.

According to BBall Index he hasn’t received a grade lower than an A- when it comes to iso perimeter defense in the last eight seasons. If impact and disruption is what you want on the defensive side Delon is your guy.

And lastly, the finishing which is still a surprise to me.

Delon has been about a 60% guy at the rim for his career but last year he shot an absurd 84% down in the paint. While I don’t expect him to shoot north of 80% down there again, he has a knack for getting downhill and that branches out to his playmaking. The past two seasons have seen Delon rank towards the top of the league in drive pass-out rate and before he got hurt, he averaged the most points off his assists per 75 possessions in the entire league.

The path to trading for Delon isn’t straightforward but it would be $5 million easier than trading for Stewart. His age and the injury could cause concern for some fans but there is minimal risk here assuming the Celtics don’t trade any of their top 8 guys (which they won’t have to).

Delon is on the final year of his deal and if things go south you don’t have to bring him back and your top 8 doesn’t lose a beat. But if he does end up working out for you when he comes back the things you gain with him on the floor could take the Celtics bench unit to another level.

Torrey Craig, Chicago Bulls

I realize this isn’t the Chicago Bull most Celtics fans need yet listen to me.

I perceive 100 percent that Alex Caruso is the award, however I don’t think the Celtics have the resources for win that offering war. Caruso, deservingly thus, will have numerous NBA groups arranging for his administrations. Furthermore, every opportunity a report emerges about the Bulls asking cost for him the worth appears to go up.

Thus, I went with somebody that shouldn’t cost you that much.

Torrey Craig is a trustworthy 6’7″ wing and has been that way for quite a while. Craig has played 27 games this season, averaging around 21 minutes every evening. He has 6 points and 5 rebounds on 38% shooting from deep during those minutes.

Craig, as Delon Wright, is an extremely consistent veteran that keeps on guarding at a significant level. Craig achieved a ranking of 95th percentile in perimeter defense last year and has maintained that level this season.

We have likewise seen Craig have some truly significant season finisher games in his profession which most certainly is required on a competitor like the Celtics.

Craig has been a rotational person in five season finisher groups in his vocation and has shot 40% from somewhere down in three of those runs despite the fact that being on low volume. Simply last season Craig found the middle value of 12.5 focuses on 55% shooting from profound aiding lead the Suns to a cycle 1 beating of the Los Angeles Trimmers.

What improves this even is that Craig just makes $2.5 million every year throughout the following two seasons.

And that implies the Celtics wouldn’t actually need to send a player to the Bulls to get him since he squeezes into an exchange exemption. The unwavering quality of Craig, alongside the chance of not in any event, surrendering a player for him, truly makes him an objective worth seeking after.

Trendon Watford, Brooklyn Nets

Trendon Watford is an intriguing player not many pay attention to.

Watford started his career with the Portland Trail Blazers and was surprisingly waived by them last offseason. He was let go in a season where he played 62 games averaging 7.5 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists while shooting 39% from three.

This year he’s appeared in 19 games averaging similar numbers despite the minutes and 3 point % being slightly down.

What I like about Watford is his offensive versatility coupled with his size. At 6’8” he’s a 240 pound big bodied forward who has really impressive skill and agility for his size. He can really pass, handle, and rebound the ball and is a player I think can do a little bit of everything on that end when given a chance. I also believe he would add something new to the Celtics bench.

Out of the wings the Celtics currently have off the bench none of them are consistent threats to use their handle in order to create for themselves and others.

Sam Hauser has shown some flashes of improvement in that area, but he doesn’t have the juice Watford has off the bounce. Oshae Brissett and Lamar Stevens have been strictly energy guys when they come in and their offense comes in the form of cutting, offensive rebounds, and catch and shoot threes.

Watford wouldn’t surpass Hauser in that frame of mind using any and all means however having a greater maker on the floor with Sam could open a couple of things.

With the Nets apparently stacked at the wing position I wouldn’t be astonished in the event that they surrendered Watford for quite a few second round picks.

Because Watford is on a minimum contract and the Celtics are not required to send players in exchange for him, the Celtics face little risk once more in this scenario.

The Celtics seat has begun to come around amazingly yet I don’t figure another piece would hurt similarly for however long we aren’t exchanging any significant parts of the turn.