Getty Boston Celtics fans show their pride.
Only a couple of months into the current NBA campaign, with the trade deadline looming, the Boston Celtics, like most teams, are evaluating their priorities for the rest of the season and beyond. Of course there are numerous variables to consider, but the main question essentially boils down to this: Do the Celts do all they can to win now, perhaps sacrificing long-term success for instant gratification, or should they save their pennies and bide their time in the hope of future glory?
To Zach Lowe, ESPN analyst and host of the Lowe Post podcast, the answer is clear: Win now!
“Our window to win is now. Our window to contend is now,” suggested Lowe, speaking hypothetically from the perspective of Celtics management on Tuesday’s edition of the Lowe Post. “We have had all these picks in the past, most of them have been used up but we can still make some things happen. We should act with urgency.”
Young Superstars Could be the Difference
For a team with a ho-hum 11-9 record (they were 10-8 when Lowe made his comments) and losers of six of their last nine games, the idea of gambling on this season might appear … well, criminally shortsighted. But Lowe pointed to the stellar play of the team’s two young superstars, Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, especially amid a seemingly endless string of injuries and postponements, as justification for going all in.
“The question to me was, is this team without Kemba [Walker] going to be able to score?” said Lowe. “Particularly when one of the Jays was on the bench. And it was rough for a while when one of those guys would sit. Sometimes it still is rough.” (In mid-January, with both Tatum and Walker out, the Celtics were dismantled 105-75 by the seldom-feared Knicks.) “But they have held pretty steady and both of those guys, Jaylen and Jayson have been just blow-the-doors-off outstanding.”
Lowe suggested that Brown and Tatum’s steady rise up the ranks of the NBA elite—that at this point they are essentially finished products—should spur the Celtics to act aggressively and take advantage of the edge they have over many teams in the league.
“Their offense, to be 10th with Kemba not playing much and struggling in some of the games he did play, I think is a huge win,” reasoned Lowe. “A sign that those two guys are absolute legit NBA stars, probably perennial All-Stars at the position of most urgent need across the league. As long as those guys are entering and in their primes, [the Celtics] should act with urgency.”
Getting the Most Out of the Traded Player Exception
The Celtics debate on whether to act now or wait is particularly relevant because they still have in their holster the $28.5 million traded player exception (TPE) from Gordon Hayward’s sign-and-trade deal with the Charlotte Hornets. It means they can add a potentially big piece of the puzzle without having to sacrifice much more than a few lesser roster spots.
Talk of late has centered around acquiring sharpshooting guard JJ Redick, versatile forward Harrison Barnes or big-bodied forward/center LeMarcus Aldridge. While Redick would certainly add a potent threat behind the arc, his defensive limitations could be a non-starter for Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge. Ainge recently pooh-poohed the impact of getting a mostly offensive player.
“It is hard to find a shooter that can’t guard anybody and expect that person to make a major change on our team,” said Ainge on the “Toucher & Rich” radio show.
Barnes and Aldridge, however, are still very much active options. Either would bring size and playoff experience to a young team, and their defensive bona fides are well-established. But at the same time, neither offers the kind of sure-fire talent that would guarantee a deep playoff run, and the Celtics are well-aware that they have one shot and one shot only to make the TPE work.
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