Getty Nikola Vucevic #9 of the Orlando Magic.
The Boston Celtics may be fresh off a surprising 30-point beatdown at the hands of the New York Knicks. Still, owners of the second-best record in the East, Boston has very few holes among their roster. Plus, with point guard Kemba Walker back from injury and forward Jayson Tatum nearing a return from COVID-19 protocols, the arrow appears to be pointing up for the title hopefuls.
Yet, that’s not to say there aren’t improvements to be made ahead of the March 25 trade deadline.
Bleacher Report has formulated a list of “Every NBA Team’s 2021 Trade Deadline Target List.” In Boston’s case, columnist Greg Swartz zeroed in on two Orlando Magic standouts, Nikola Vucevic and Aaron Gordon, as well as Memphis Grizzlies forward Kyle Anderson as Danny Ainge’s top three targets.
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Nikola Vucevic, Boston’s ‘Dream Target’?
Nikola Vucevic being linked to Boston is nothing new. The Magic’s big-man has readily come up in trade talks surrounding the Celtics over recent years. The All-Star center was even pegged as one of the Celtics’ “top priorities” last summer, amid the Aron Baynes trade to Phoenix and the departure of Al Horford.
Vucevic would slide right in at the five and be a massive upgrade for the Celtics’ somewhat underwhelming frontcourt. Daniel Theis, who began the season starting at the four has recently been coming off the bench. Tristan Thompson, the team’s starting center, is limited offensively and struggled to defend the rim during Sunday’s loss to the Knicks.
The Montenegrin center has averaged 3.6 assists per game since 2017 and is currently shooting 10.0% better beyond the arc than his career average entering the season. Vucevic’s well-rounded offensive game would prove to be a massive get for Boston, as Swartz highlights:
Vucevic would be a dream target here, a do-it-all center in the prime of his career whom the Celtics could run a chunk of their offense through. Boston is just 29th in the NBA in assist percentage (54.5 percent), while Vucevic is averaging 3.5 assists and shooting a career-high 42.4 percent from three.
Gordon vs. Anderson
Much like his Magic teammate, Aaron Gordon has commonly been tossed around as a prime trade candidate for the Celtics. Host John Karalis of the Locked On Celtics Podcast went as far as to peg the 25-year-old as the team’s “number one target” and their best use of the trade exception stemming from the Gordon Hayward deal.
Fresh off a monstrous 17 rebound outing, Swartz believes Gordon’s defensive flexibility could work wonders for Boston and their ability to free up Jayson Tatum:
Gordon would be a terrific starting power forward for Boston, able to defend multiple positions while allowing Jayson Tatum to play more on the wing. He’s also a willing passer that would help bump up the Celtics’ awful assist rate.
At 27-years-old, Kyle Anderson is currently in the midst of his most prolific season to date. Albeit just 12 games, Anderson has either tied or notched career-high averages in minutes (29.8), points (12.8), rebounds (7.2), and assists (4.2). Pegged as “power forward help at a discount” by Swartz, Anderson could slide into the starting lineup for Boston, but more likely would serve as a key reserve off the bench. Not to mention, the seven-year-pro would come at a vastly cheaper price than the prior two names listed above.
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All-Star Big Man Heads Celtics’ Rumored Top-3 Trade Target List