Proposed Trade Sees Celtics Dealing for Former Top-10 Pick

Dennis Schroder continues to be the basis of trade proposals for the Boston Celtics, primarily due to his short-term contract and poor fit within the rotation.

In a recent article for ESPN, Bobby Marks proposes a trade that sees Schroder heading to the Western Conference as an impact player on the Phoenix Suns bench, and in return, the Celtics would receive a former top-10 draft pick in Jalen Smith. The Celtics would also send a future second-round pick to Phoenix as a sweetener in the deal.

• Celtics receive: Jalen Smith
• Suns receive: Dennis Schroder, future 2nd round draft pick

However, it’s worth noting that while Smith is an interesting talent who has fantastic long-term upside, this deal would be based around the Celtics getting below the luxury tax while obtaining an additional young asset to evaluate. Furthermore, expecting a fair return for Schroder is unlikely, as any team that acquires him will encounter the same issues as Boston projects to have.

“The Celtics could hold on to Schroder or move him for either multiple second-round picks or a player who has a few years left on his contract. Any team that trades for Schroder will have the same limit in re-signing him unless that team has cap space or the full non-taxpayer midlevel exception in the offseason,” Bobby Marks wrote in a recent article.

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Celtics Would Need to Find Smith Minutes

Before entering the NBA, Smith was understood to be a modern-day center, capable of blocking shots, running the floor, and hitting the three at a reasonable clip. However, the sophomore big has rarely been given the opportunity to shine in Phoenix, participating in just 51 games over his first one-and-a-half seasons in the league.

As such, it’s unfair to judge Smith’s lack of development or to label him a bust. Similar to Boston’s own contingent of young players, Smith hasn’t been provided with the time and patience it requires to develop a raw athlete into a viable NBA player. Sure, some guys come straight into the league and begin making waves immediately, but those are the exception to the rule, and quite frankly, situations can make or break a player’s career.

As such, if Boston were to make this proposed trade, they would need to shop one or more of their other big men. Enes Freedom is the most likely casualty should this situation unfold, with his contract being a short-term deal, and Smith potentially providing a more diverse skill-set from the bench.

During his time in the league, Smith has averaged 4.2 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 0.2 assists per game while shooting 24% from deep and 49.1% from the field, per Basketball-Reference. When looking at the 21-year-old’s numbers, it’s easy to think that he’s out of his depth at the NBA level, but it’s worth remembering that centers often take the longest to develop when making the step up from the collegiate games.

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Boston’s Focus Is on Getting Under the Luxury Tax

President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens has continually spoken of financial flexibility since stepping into a front-office role, although he hasn’t elaborated on why that’s his priority at this point. However, when looking at the trades he’s made thus far, it’s clear that he’s pushing forward with his plan.

“The Celtics have made it a priority not to pay a luxury tax penalty this season and that was indicative in the trade that sent Hernangomez to the Spurs. Boston is now $850K above the threshold and is one minor move (perhaps sending out Dozier in a salary dump) away from getting under. If the Celtics do indeed duck below the luxury tax, they would be in line to receive a tax distribution of $12 million,” Marks wrote.

With the Celtics not being contenders this year, it makes sense for Stevens to keep the checkbook closed, as paying the luxury tax for a team that’s likely a first-round exit doesn’t make sense from a business standpoint. In fairness, we all expected the road to banner 18 to be a tough one once the Brooklyn Nets created their superteam, and the Milwaukee Bucks don’t look like slowing down anytime soon either.

Having a healthy cap sheet, and working on the fringes to develop a roster of valuable, tradeable assets is a smart play from Stevens. Still, fans won’t be happy if Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown’s contracts continue to dwindle down without the notion of success on the horizon.

One thing we can be sure of, though, is another trade is coming, it just won’t be of the magnitude we once hoped for.

 

 

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