Boston Celtics trade rumors swirled on Thursday after a report by Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer indicated that the Celtics intend to trade their three first-round draft picks (14, 26, 30) for a higher lottery pick to “reroute that pick to the Pelicans in exchange for Jrue Holiday.”
To make room for Holiday’s $25 million salary, O’Connor speculates that Danny Ainge could ship Kemba Walker ($34.3 million) to New Orleans in the deal.
Meanwhile, Pacers center Myles Turner recently worked out with Grant Williams and Tacko Fall. Due to Gordon Hayward’s uncertain future in Boston, Ainge may sign-and-trade the Indiana native to acquire Turner.
Walker and Hayward provide reliable playmaking and veteran leadership for the young Celtics, but adding another elite defensive guard in Holiday and an explosive rim-protector in Turner could help push Boston over the Conference Finals hump and back into the NBA Finals for the first time since 2010.
Defense Wins Championships
Celtics players traditionally pride themselves on hustle, work ethic and grittiness. These traits produce tenacious team defenses and hard-nosed physicality, two fundamental staples for the franchise’s 17 championships.
Ainge strongly values two-way players. He understands the starting lineup of Holiday, Marcus Smart, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum and Turner would strike fear into the hearts of opponents.
Holiday and Smart are arguably the NBA’s top-two defensive guards. Pairing them together in Boston’s backcourt means opposing ball handlers face constant pressure and harassment. This produces more turnovers and fast break points.
Walker is a good defender for his size, but he can’t lock down opponents the way the 6’4” Holiday does by utilizing his physical strength and relentless defensive mentality.
Hayward is a physical defender, but noticeably lacks burst quickness ever since his gruesome ankle injury in 2017. Inconsistent play and recurring injuries serve as stark reminders that Hayward may never return to his previous All-Star form.
Boston also has plenty of depth at the small forward position. A Celtics trade swapping Hayward for Turner could permanently shift Smart into the starting lineup and give Grant Williams, another hard-working defender, more minutes off the bench.
The 6’11” Turner led the NBA in blocks (2.7 per game) in 2019 and finished fourth in the league (2.1 per game) last season. At 24 years old, he’s still improving. Brad Stevens has raved about Turner’s star potential. Playing in Stevens’ system, Turner could immediately become the franchise’s most effective paint presence since Kevin Garnett.
What About Daniel Theis?
Daniel Theis had a nice season as the starting center. But at just 6’8”, the same height as Tatum, Theis is undersized for a big man. He deserves recognition as a versatile defender who closes out on three-point shooters better than most bigs and sets effective screens on offense.
But Theis struggles to defend the rim without drawing tons of fouls. Theis committed 5.0 fouls per 36 minutes of play last season, “making him a threat to foul out each time he touched the floor,” according to Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports Boston. “And he did foul out four times in the postseason,” while repeatedly getting into early foul trouble. This left the Celtics’ frontcourt susceptible to a Bam Adebayo takeover during the Conference Finals.
Theis has rightfully earned his place within the Celtics’ rotation. But the starting unit would be improved with Turner’s size and shot-blocking ability. Theis could then play off the bench as a high-energy, defense-first center while racking up fewer fouls without the nightly challenge of battling every opponent’s best big man from the opening tip.
A starting squad of Holiday, Smart, Brown, Tatum and Turner would be truly special. All five players have tremendous potential. Their collective size, athleticism and sheer determination will help the Celtics stand up to any opponent in the postseason – especially with Turner anchoring the frontcourt.
Protecting the PAINT for #Pacers…the best BLOCKS from Myles Turner (2.8 BPG) this season!
🏀: @Pacers x @WashWizards
⏰: 8pm/et
📺: ESPN pic.twitter.com/GbC34JcHu1— NBA (@NBA) January 30, 2019
Facilitating the Offense
Walker and Hayward are great playmakers, but also two of the oldest and most injury-prone players on the roster. Ainge has never been shy about trading away key players with nagging injuries.
Furthermore, Walker logged 4.8 assists per game and scored 20.4 points per game on 42.5% shooting last season. Holiday recorded 6.7 assists and 19.1 points per game on 45.5% shooting.
Holiday could help maximize Boston’s offensive efficiency, especially if Tatum and Brown continue to rapidly improve. Facilitating a dynamic Celtics offense may allow Holiday to emerge as the best two-way guard in the NBA this season.
Turner has not quite lived up to his offensive potential, but he is still only 24 years old. In the right situation, Turner may develop into a great pick-and-roll finisher. He showed flashes of brilliance with the Pacers, developing a strong rapport with several of Indiana’s guards including Aaron Holiday, Jrue’s younger brother.
Tatum and Brown on the Rise
Losing players as talented as Walker and Hayward would be demoralizing for most teams. But Tatum and Brown, Boston’s rising superstars, appear ready to take on larger scoring roles this season. Trading away the team’s older playmakers for more size and tenacity may improve the Celtics on both sides of the ball.
Brown and Tatum will likely both be All-Stars this season. As they continue to grow, the Celtics should cater to their strengths and put the rising stars in a good position to succeed by allowing them to flourish in high-volume scoring roles.
If the Celtics elect to keep Walker, they could still obtain Holiday for a package of players and picks that includes Smart. Swapping elite defenders with the Pelicans makes sense on paper.
However, Smart is the leader and unofficial captain for the Celtics. It is hard to imagine a scenario where Ainge trades him. During an interview with 98.5 The Sports Hub’s “Toucher and Rich” last season, Ainge called Smart “the heart and soul of the team.”
Intriguing Intangibles
NBA players have selected Pelicans‘ Jrue Holiday as the 2019-20 Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year Award based on selfless play, on- and off-court leadership, and commitment to team.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 6, 2020
Holiday was named the NBA Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year last season. His determination and selflessness align perfectly with the Celtics’ team-first mentality.
Holiday’s natural leadership and his knack for selfless basketball should allow him to feel right at home in Boston. His player strengths and personal characteristics tie directly into the physical defense that has proved vital to the Celtics’ success over the past seven decades.
Turner brings new untapped potential, elite defensive instincts, and raw athleticism to the center position. His presence could also expedite the development of Robert Williams, another fierce young shot-blocker with sky-high potential.
After an impressive postseason run last season, the Celtics don’t need to force any trades to contend in the East. They are poised to make the playoffs for the foreseeable future.
But these Celtics trade rumors feel impossible to ignore. Adding Holiday and Turner for Walker and Hayward drastically improves their defense and transforms them into one of the league’s best teams. Opponents will dread the physical matchups against Boston.
Danny Ainge has assembled a terrific roster led by young playmakers hungry for their first Finals appearance. With the new season right around the corner, look for Ainge to make a major trade or two to bring more elite defenders to Boston and push his Celtics back into the Finals for the first time in 11 years.
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