Getty Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are running out of time, if they want to use some, or all, of their $17.2 million trade exception, which expires on July 18.
So far, the Celtics have had an impressive off-season, landing Malcolm Brogdon via trade, and adding Danilo Gallinari for the taxpayer mid-level exception. However, there are still areas that the team can look to improve on, with a backup big man and rotational wing the two primary areas.
We can expect at least one of those positions to be upgraded before the new season starts, but ideally, there will be another two faces in Boston before training camp gets underway. Unfortunately, with Boston likely close to their limits in terms of how deep they want to go into the luxury tax, it’s difficult to project who their targets could be.
However, Brian Robb of Masslive.com recently postulated a low-cost addition for the Celtics wing position, that would allow Brad Stevens to dip into their expiring trade exception and add some veteran experience to backup Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
“On the wing, another name worth making a call about is Torrey Craig ($5.1 million) in Phoenix. The Suns could be looking to trim salary depending on how the situation with DeAndre Ayton plays out and Craig is a defensive-minded forward who could fit in nicely with Udoka’s scheme,” Robb wrote in his July 10 column.
Craig, 31, has been somewhat of a journeyman over the last two seasons, splitting his time between the Milwaukee Bucks, Phoenix Suns (twice), and Indiana Pacers – but his defensive-minded skillset would fit perfectly with Ime Udoka’s Celtics gameplan.
What Would Craig Bring to Boston
At six-foot-seven, Craig would provide some additional size to the Celtics bench, along with a defensive punch, both on the perimeter and around the restricted area. The veteran wing often splits his time between the small forward and power forward positions, giving Boston some additional flexibility with their rotations, which is always useful.
Furthermore, Craig is a viable outlet when an opposing defense hones in on a team’s star players, and for his career, the veteran wing averages 5.7 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 0.9 assists per game while shooting 45.6% from the field, 33% from deep, and 69.3% from the line.
You have to check with Phoenix on Cam Johnson. Are they really going to let Ayton walk to Detroit? Sarver won’t pay Booker, Ayton, Bridges, and Johnson.
Celtics could also take Torrey Craig’s money off their books and give a pick.
While the scoring numbers aren’t fantastic, they are indicative of a veteran role player who operates within a team’s system, something that’s further enhanced by his defensive ability and switchability on the perimeter – frankly, Craig projects to be the type of wing that Udoka would consistently find playing time for.
Would Boston be Interested in a Trade?
Craig isn’t a flashy acquisition, nor is he the type of player that singlehandedly puts a team over the top. However, he’s a solid veteran presence on a reasonable contract, who would easily fit in with the team’s offensive and defensive philosophy.
Furthermore, the South Carolina native would eat up too much of Boston’s trade exception, giving them ample room to maneuver, should they also wish to acquire a center via trade – but also ensuring they don’t venture much deeper into the luxury tax.
If the Suns’ asking price isn’t ridiculous, and it doesn’t force Boston to part with any of their core rotation players or multiple future draft picks, then this is the type of trade that could be of interest to Stevens and the front office. However, it’s worth remembering that there are plenty of options left in free agency, who could be tempted to join a contending team on a veteran minimum contract – so nothing is guaranteed at this point.
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Celtics Urged to Target $10 Million Wing With Trade Exception