Boston could make a big swing.
It’s hard to find a team that has had a worse offseason than the Boston Celtics.
After entering the playoffs as the favorite to come out of the East and make their third NBA Finals in four years, the Celtics were upset in the second round. In that series, Jayson Tatum tore his Achilles, leaving him sidelined for all of next season and putting into motion a series of big offseason moves.
With the second apron looming over the Celtics, they had no choice but to make some cuts to their payroll, choosing to send out Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis. Along with that, the team lost Luke Kornet in free agency, with Al Horford’s time in Boston also likely over.
While there was a significant loss in talent with all of those moves, it especially left a hole inside. With all of Boston’s rotational big men on their way out, the Celtics have struggled to find an answer for next season’s center, which is where Nikola Vucevic could come in.
As suggested by Bleacher Nation’s Elias Schuster, the Celtics could add Vucevic, Ayo Dosunmu and a second-round pick while sending Chicago Anfernee Simons and Sam Hauser. With the Celtics shedding an extra $8.7 million in salary and addressing their biggest need, this could be a no-brainer for Boston.
Simons has reportedly been in trade talks since arriving in Boston, so if the Celtics could flip him and get off Hauser’s contract to address their center issue and still add a solid backup guard, it would be a near-perfect move. With Vucevic on an expiring deal as well, the Celtics would still have plenty of flexibility next summer to re-tool in preparation for Tatum’s return to the floor and Boston’s return to contention.
Category: Basketball
