Getty Oshae Brissett
The Boston Celtics roster appears to be more or less set for the 2023-24 season. However, if they decide to make a trade, new addition Oshae Brissett likes an idea that reunites him with one of his former teammates with the Indiana Pacers.
A Celtics fan account that goes by the name “Mike” on X tweeted a hypothetical Celtics starting lineup featuring Pacers shooting guard Buddy Hield. This included Hield, Derrick White, Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Kristaps Porzingis while posting a clip of professional UFC fighter Connor McGregor seemingly celebrating a victory.
Derrick White
Buddy Hield
Jaylen Brown
Jayson Tatum
Kristaps Porzingis
Brissett liked the post, indicating that he would approve of reuniting with Hield on the Celtics. For the Celtics to do that while keeping those players in their lineup, they would have to either swap Malcolm Brogdon straight up or a combination of Al Horford, Robert Williams, and Payton Pritchard, which may hurt more than it would help depending on who would get sent back.
Brissett played with Hield for one and half seasons, becoming teammates after the 2022 NBA Trade Deadline, then playing the 2022-23 season together with the Pacers. Coincidentally, Brissett was also teammates with Brogdon in Indiana from 2020 to 2022.
Analyst Gives Thoughts on Possible Celtics-Buddy Hield Trade
After Shams Charania reported that Hield was made available via trade on September 20, Bleacher Report’s Tyler Conway explained why Hield could appeal in a trade to the Celtics should they swap him for Brogdon.
“Malcolm Brogdon doesn’t appear particularly happy with the Celtics and just so happens to have a $22.5 million salary that would work for matching purposes with Hield. Adding Hield doesn’t do anything to solve Boston’s desperate need for a reliable primary ball-handler, but neither did Brogdon as he was floundering in the Eastern Conference Finals,” Conway wrote in a September 20 story.
Conway added that while it’s not a foolproof swap, he explained why the Celtics would trade Brogdon for Hield.
“Brogdon-for-Hield is an imperfect solution, but it may be the only one Boston has before the start of the regular season. It’s likely Brogdon will show up to camp and be the good soldier despite his frustrations; I’m just not sure it matters. He’s a grumbling sixth man who doesn’t shift the needle when it counts.”
Hield is one of the league’s best sharpshooters, so if the rumblings about Brogdon are true, he would be an upgrade in spacing the floor, but everywhere else, Hield is a downgrade from the NBA’s reigning Sixth Man of the Year.
Celtics Hope Lamar Stevens Will Give Celtics ‘Grit’: Insider
After the Celtics signed Lamar Stevens, The Boston Globe’s Adam Himmelsbach reported that they added him to the roster believing that he could replace the grit that two departed Celtics once brought to the team.
“(I) was told the Celtics expressed to Lamar Stevens that they’re hoping he can bring some of the grit and toughness that was lost following the departures of Marcus Smart and Grant Williams,” Himmelsbach wrote via his X account on September 22.
Was told the Celtics expressed to Lamar Stevens that they’re hoping he can bring some of the grit and toughness that was lost following the departures of Marcus Smart and Grant Williams.
On the day Stevens was signed, MassLive’s Brian Robb reported that his deal with the Celtics is partially guaranteed. Though if replacing the grit and toughness that Smart and Williams once provided is what the Celtics expect Stevens to do, it’s hard to see them getting rid of him.