Getty Marcus Smart of the Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics have some questions to answer this offseason. Most namely if they plan to keep the came core intact or if they plan to make some trades. If they choose the latter, NESN’s Jason Ounpraseuth proposed a trade between the Celtics and Houston Rockets that would allow the Celtics to sell high on Marcus Smart, which includes the following:
Celtics receive: Jalen Green, Jae’Sean Tate, No. 4 pick in 2023
Rockets receive: Smart
Ounpraseuth explained why he believes it may be time for the Celtics to trade Smart.
“The All-Defensive guard…will be 30 next season. While renowned for his toughness and his grit, the time will come when his body just gives up on him, and his physical traits on defense will become less of an asset.
“The loss of Smart’s leadership will be lost, but Brown and Tatum will just have to pick up that slack. The Celtics should act sooner rather than later to sell high on Smart before his skills fall off a cliff. Ime Udoka could use Smart’s leadership and toughness for a young Rockets team,” Ounpraseuth said.
He also added what Green and Tate would bring to the team.
“Green is a dynamic scorer, and at 21 years old, he can grow into becoming a better defender. Tate also provides positional flexibility on switches and can be a valuable bench player.”
Payton Pritchard Hopes to Get Traded
While delving how the NBA’s new Collective Bargaining Agreement could impact the Celtics, The Athletic’s Jay King reported that guard Payton Pritchard wants a new home.
“With the new onerous CBA rules looming after next season, the front office will likely have to decide in the next 12 months whether it can afford its expensive veteran depth. Payton Pritchard has made it clear he hopes to be traded this summer, according to multiple team sources, so will the Celtics move him if they trade one of their core guards?”
Pritchard had a consistent role with the Celtics his first two years with the team, but took a backseat in the rotation in back of Smart, Derrick White and Malcolm Brogdon. Pritchard played 48 games, but his playing time usually came when the Celtics were down one of their guards or if the game had already been decided by the time he entered.
Pritchard understandably wants a bigger role. While trading him to a new team could grant his wish, trading one of Smart, White or Brogdon could also do the same.
Proposed Trade Reunites Celtics With Kelly Olynyk
Following the news of Pritchard’s hopes of being traded, Bleacher Report’s Greg Swartz proposed a deal between the Celtics and Utah Jazz involving Pritchard. The proposed trade included the following:
Celtics receive: Kelly Olynyk
Jazz receive: Payton Pritchard, Danilo Gallinari
Swartz explained why a swap would be appealing to both sides.
“(Olynyk would) be the ideal third big for this roster behind Al Horford and Robert Williams III. The point guard-needy Jazz should have interest in Pritchard entering the final year of his rookie deal. If the 25-year-old works out, Utah will have the right to make him a restricted free agent next summer. Gallinari can help out if he’s completely recovered from a torn ACL. If there are any setbacks, his $6.8 million player option runs out in 2024,” Swartz wrote.
Olynyk played for the Celtics from 2013 to 2017, where he helped the Celtics make the playoffs in three of those four seasons.