The Boston Celtics exceeded expectations this season, finishing second in the Eastern Conference without Jayson Tatum for the majority of the campaign.
Jaylen Brown turned into an MVP candidate, but the Celtics suffered a playoff meltdown. They blew a 3-1 series lead to the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round, leading to plenty of speculation this summer.
Brown’s name has come up in many trade rumors, but the Celtics might want to hold off on that. They might want to see how a post-Achilles Tatum and an MVP-level Brown play together for a full season.
3-Team Trade Idea Gives Boston Celtics Myles Turner
With Kristaps Porzingis getting traded to the Atlanta Hawks and Al Horford signing with the Golden State Warriors last offseason, the Boston Celtics relied on Neemias Queta for the majority of the season.
Queta didn’t disappoint, averaging career highs across the board at 10.2 points, 8.4 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.3 blocks per game as a full-time starter. Nikola Vucevic was also acquired at the trade deadline, but he barely made an impact in the postseason.
However, the Celtics might be better off with a stretch-five like Porzingis and Horford.
Alex Golden of Sports Illustrated suggested a three-team trade with the Milwaukee Bucks and Indiana Pacers.
Celtics receive: Myles Turner
Bucks receive: Jarace Walker
Pacers receive: Sam Hauser
“For Boston, having a stretch big who can also protect the rim has been the best archetype for their team to have success,” Golden wrote. “With Porzingis and Horford leaving the previous offseason, Boston tried to do the center by committee approach and it ultimately hurt them in the end.
“A midseason trade for Nikola Vucevic led to a few DNP-CD in the postseason, which could lead to Boston trading for Turner, a big in his prime that fits perfectly into their Traded Player Exception (TPE).”
The only downside to using the Traded Player Exception for the Celtics is that they have to pay the luxury tax again. However, it could be worth it if they can be back to their dominant selves with a stretch five like Myles Turner.
As for the Bucks, they get a younger player in Jarace Walker and won’t have to pay the rest of Turner’s bloated contract.
The Pacers, on the other hand, get a perfect player to come off the bench in Sam Hauser, who is one of the league’s best sharpshooters.
Isaiah Stewart Named as Another Celtics Option
In addition to Myles Turner, Isaiah Stewart of the Detroit Pistons was also named as an alternative trade target this offseason by Celtics Blog’s Jeff Clark.
“Another thing to note is that you could forget the MLE and use the space you have to make an unbalanced trade,” Clark wrote. “One that comes to mind is dealing Hauser to the Pistons for Isaiah (Beef Stew) Stewart. That would save the Pistons about 4M and give them a floor spacing wing to add to their offense.”
Stewart is younger than Turner, averaging 10.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 1.6 blocks as a backup to Jalen Duren. Unlike Queta, Stewart can knock down the occasional shot from 3-point range.
3-Team Trade Idea Gives Boston Celtics New Starting Center