Two recent trade proposals would see San Antonio Spurs big man LaMarcus Aldridge to the Boston Celtics — does either make sense for Boston?
Are the basketball gods trying to get San Antonio Spurs big man LaMarcus Aldridge to the Boston Celtics?
In truth, probably not — but at least two NBA analysts think it’s at least worth a look by both teams.
The 34-year-old big man has been the focal point of a pair of proposed trades in recent pieces of the sort that tend to proliferate in the offseason, which has arrived for all but the two teams in the 2020 NBA Finals.
The first of the two trade proposals makes for an interesting thought experiment, but would never happen in reality.
Offered up by Dylan Carter of AirAlamo.com, the deal would see forwards Gordon Hayward and Semi Ojeleye dealt with the No. 14 overall pick controlled by Boston in the 2020 NBA Draft in exchange for Aldridge and veteran swingman Rudy Gay, straight up.
As noted in the proposal, all players in this deal are on expiring deals, meaning any or all of them will be able to walk at the end of the season, if they decide to.
And therein is the problem.
The Celtics aren’t going to cough up a lottery pick for a pair of players who likely won’t be around past next season (and may not be worth bringing back, given both players are 34 years old).
While Aldridge might be able to slow some of the more troubling beefier bigs Boston has faced in the postseason, he could also fall of a cliff; and while Gay has aged well, he would be a significant downgrade even if he doesn’t decline further.
Even without the lottery pick, this is a non-starter because of the contract situations, with the Celtics only likely to make a deal involving Hayward if it means bringing back young talent under contract for multiple seasons — and that is unlikely to materialize as well.
The other proposal makes a bit more sense in context, floated by Bleacher Report’s Greg Swartz.
In an article appropriately entitled “Trades that would shock every NBA fanbase,” Swartz indeed thinks up one that would get a rise out of most Celtics fans also built around Aldridge.
This one does not involve Hayward, but has the right idea regarding Boston’s priorities.
Swartz proposes sending Aldridge and the Spurs’ No. 11 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft to the Spurs along with the part Boston would likely most be interested in — point guard Dejounte Murray — to the Celtics for Kemba Walker and center Enes Kanter.
We think such a trade might require Boston adding one of their late firsts (Nos. 26 and 30) back to make this deal work, and the inclusion of Murray plus the pick gives the Celtics back something that makes more sense given their designs on contention.
In Boston, Murray’s speed and defense would fit well along with wings Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum and Gordon Hayward while opening up cap space for Hayward to stay with the team in the future once Aldridge’s deal expires.
In the draft, Boston could then take the best point guard and big available with picks 11 and 14, while having another first-rounder or two to stash overseas or deal into a future draft with.
Apart from needing Kanter to opt in as Hayward would in the first proposal, the biggest obstacle to such a deal is it would likely impact the team’s ability to contend for a title next season.
At least, barring a new source of reliable scoring developing internally.
Ultimately, a deal involving either Hayward or Walker in the offseason feels unlikely, if possible.
That’s not to say team president Danny Ainge and the rest of the front office aren’t exploring such possibilities, but it takes two (or more!) teams to tango.
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