It may no longer be permitted for teams to trade players for the remainder of the 2022-23 NBA season, but according to Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley, if it were still allowed, the Boston Celtics ought to covet Charlotte Hornets big man PJ Washington. The onetime Kentucky standout has been linked to the Celtics in the past and could fill a need for youth in the frontcourt once Al Horford begins to lose a step.
Citing Robert Williams III’s recent return to the injury report, Buckley suggests the club might regret not doing more to improve its big rotation. Washington’s “versatility would shine at both ends,” per the B/R analyst, with the Hornet swingman offering “an alternative to paying Grant Williams this summer since both are heading to restricted free agency.”
“He works as both a physical 4 or a small-ball 5, and depending on what the night calls for, he can contribute points, rebounds, assists, and 3s,” he adds.
Celtics Lab 175: On if the Boston Celtics are changing their tune after an extended funk with Matt Consolazio https://t.co/7diixmJzBw
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The ask envisioned by Buckley? Reserve guard Payton Pritchard and a lottery-protected 2025 first-round pick, should Charlotte not be primed to pay the big man this summer.
Of course, this is all hypothetical given the collective bargaining agreement would not allow any such deal in the world we live in, but B/R has a solid target in mind for Boston given Washington’s skills and Boston’s needs.
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