Following their loss to the Brooklyn Nets, Boston Celtics are going through a major transition right now. They moved on from Danny Ainge and Brad Stevens took over in one of the most shocking moves the NBA has seen in a while.
It’s been a while since the Celtics made it to the NBA Finals and, albeit they have a promising roster stacked with talent, it’s clear that they need to make some moves to fill the gaps they have.
Also, the Celtics feature way too many young players right now, which isn’t always a good thing. Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum are way ahead of schedule and look like they could compete for an NBA Championship right away but not with this supporting cast. So, now that they have chosen a player’s coach in Ime Udoka, let’s take a look at the moves they could make to fix this roster.
NBA Rumors: Moves The Celtics Need To Do This Summer
Trade Marcus Smart
Marcus Smart. (Getty)
There’s no way that the Boston Celtics can get nice value in return unless they part ways with Marcus Smart, who’s entering the final year of his contract and some believe that has overstayed his welcome in the locker room.
Smart is one of the best perimeters defenders in the league and has made great strides as a shooter as well. He can play both guard spots, come off the bench, and has the ability to guard one through five.
So, as much as Brad Stevens likes him, there’s just no way that he can make an appealing trade without throwing his expiring deal into the mix. He’s the only valuable asset they have outside of their inamovable core.
Unleash Romeo Langford
Romeo Langford. (Getty)
Romeo Langford looked great on limited minutes. He put in a lot of work in the defensive end, making the most of his length and athleticism to be a disruptive presence in passing lanes. Also, he didn’t force things on offense.
Like most young players, Langford will take some time to blossom but he’s got the upside to be the third scoring option the Celtics thought Kemba Walker would be. Also, sliding him into the starting lineup will allow them to have Evan Fournier commanding the offense in the second unit, as he’s expected to come back next season.
Langford is a well-round prospect with two-way potential and they just can’t afford to keep him in the shadows anymore. Besides Payton Pritchard and Robert Williams III, he’s the only young player on their roster that’s ready to get a bigger role.
Get Kristaps Porzingis Or Collin Sexton
Kristaps Porzingis (left) & Collin Sexton. (Getty)
Sadly for the aforementioned RoberWilliams III, he’s not likely to be able to unleash his potential at the TD Garden, as he’d have to be paired with Marcus Smart and at least one draft pick to get another star.
Kristaps Porzingis could fix their struggles at the center position – assuming he remembers that he’s 7’2” – and the Dallas Mavericks are reportedly interested in adding a big man and have always been fond of Marcus Smart, so it would be a bit of a win-win scenario.
As for Collin Sexton, it seems like the Cleveland Cavaliers are going to listen to trade offers as they look to build around Darius Garland. He’s eligible for a contract extension and has shown the ability to put the ball through the hoop, even if he’s not a solid playmaker.
The Celtics would need to pair either Aaron Nesmith and/or Robert Williams III with a future first-round pick and Marcus Smart to pull off any of these deals. But they could work out perfectly for them.
If Everything Fails, Get Jalen Brunson
Jalen Brunson. (Getty)
If the Celtics are wary of paying for Kristaps Porzingis or fail to meet the Cavs’ asking price for Collin Sexton, then they should target Jalen Brunson of the Dallas Mavericks in a swap for Marcus Smart.
Brunson is due for a big payday as he’s made great strides over the past couple of seasons and some around the league view him as a starting point guard going forward. He’s an offense initiator that can get buckets at will and has improved as an on-ball defender as well.
The two biggest issues the Celtics needed to address this offseason were size and playmaking. Landing Moses Brown from the Oklahoma City Thunder certainly does the trick for the first thing, and getting Brunson would check the other box on their list.
Get Veterans
T.J. Waren (left) & J.J. Redick. (Getty)
Boston have two elite young players on their roster which is a great start. They just need to make a couple of veteran signings that can provide playoff experience and get some pressure off Tatum’s and Brown’s shoulders.
The hard reality is that players like Grant Williams or Carsen Edwards aren’t good enough to compete right now, and Tristan Thompson didn’t do much to help their case this season hence becoming a prime trade target as well.
They couldtarget players like J.J. Redick, Kelly Olynyk, Patty Mills, Serge Ibaka, or Avery Bradley on veteran minimum deals, or try and trade for expiring deals such as Thadd Young, Gary Harris, Will Barton, T.J. Warren, or even Marvin Bagley III.
Once again, the Celtics have a solid foundation and just need some complementary pieces. Brad Stevens has already shown that he won’t hesitate to be aggressive. So this will be a team to keep an eye on during the offseason.
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