Getty Mo Bamba and Andre Drummond battle for possession of the ball during a game between the Orlando Magic and the Philadelphia 76ers.
Their OT loss to the New York Knicks notwithstanding, the Boston Celtics are still sitting pretty atop the Eastern Conference standings with a league-leading 35-15 record. However, if the team learned anything last season, it’s that regular-season success doesn’t guarantee an easy march to the Larry O’Brien Trophy.
With that being the case, there’s no doubt that the team’s chief decision-maker, Brad Stevens, will be open to making moves ahead of the NBA‘s February 9 trade deadline.
To that end, Bleacher Report‘s Chris Haynes reported earlier this week that the team is “in the market for a big.” And the Knicks loss perfectly encapsulated the team’s issues in the pivot. Grant Williams got his usual dose of frontcourt minutes, of course, but beyond that, the only big man run that came from the reserve unit was a whopping four minutes from Luke Kornet.
Clearly, the team could benefit from the presence of another servicable big; outside of the oft-injured Robert Williams and the 36-year-old Al Horford, the Beantowners don’t have much to rely on at the position. To that end, B/R’s Zach Buckley just pitched a former lottery pick as a potential trade target.
B/R: Celtics Could Make a Trade Swing for Orlando Magic Center Mo Bamba
Report: Mo Bamba available in trade talks
Buckley just dropped an updated list of players who the Celtics could target ahead of the deadline. And the name at the top of his list was Mo Bamba, a former blue-chip big man who has been passed over time and time again in Orlando.
Wrote Buckley:
“Mo Bamba, the No. 6 pick in 2018, could provide interior insurance now and perhaps grow into a bigger role going forward. The 24-year-old has been squeezed for floor time in Orlando, but he’s still an intriguing source of length, shot-blocking and floor-spacing.”
After battling injuries and long-haul COVD-19 issues throughout his early career, Bamba seemingly turned the corner with a career-best campaign in 2021-22. Over 71 games (including 69 starts) last season, he averaged 10.6 points, 8.1 boards and 1.7 blocks while drilling 38.1% of his four three-point attempts per game.
However, with the emergence of Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero in 2022-23, Bamba has seen his role (and numbers) shrink across the board. So, he could probably use a fresh start — and the Magic appear open to giving him one, per The Ringer‘s Kevin O’Connor and others.
The Celtics Are in Dire Need of an Insuarance Policy Behind Their First-Line Bigs
A couple of years ago, there was a real level of concern about the Celtics up front. However, Williams’ emergence as a legitimate defensive anchor combined with Horford’s incredible ability to hold his value into his mid/late-30s has erased a lot of that doubt (and played a key role in getting the team back into the title conversation).
If we’re being honest, though, there’s still plenty to be concerned about with the position group.
For his part, Williams has yet to show an ability to stay healthy/contributing on a regular basis. He has appeared in only 17 games in ’22-23, and he has never logged more than 61 appearances in any of his five professional seasons.
Horford, meanwhile, continues to defy Father Time, but the day is fast-approaching when he won’t be able to answer the bell. Playing 30.7 MPG as a 36-year-old is hardly a recipe for sustainability. And even if the former All-Star does manage to avoid injury, his skill will only continue to erode as he gets older.