The Celtics are reportedly in discussions with the Orlando Magic for 25-year-old forward Aaron Gordon.
This is not your usual connection of a highly-coveted veteran to the Celtics via trade. That’s already happened 184 times this season.
The Celtics want Gordon and he wants the Celtics. Keith Smith of Yahoo Sports reported during Monday night’s game that Gordon put the Celtics atop his trade wishlist.
Smith tweeted: “Sources: Aaron Gordon has put the Boston Celtics near the top of the list of teams he would like to be traded to. Celtics and Magic remain engaged in trade talks. Boston has moved to Gordon as their primary target three days from the trade deadline.”
This is a trade and player to keep your eye on. Danny Ainge can’t weasel his way out of this one and say “we like the player but we like what we have here as well.” The roster is a joke beyond Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. Get those dudes some help before they pull a James Harden and get tired of being so close.
Matt Moore of the Action Network added to the story late Monday night. “Boston, multiple sources confirmed, has offered two first-round picks. No other teams on the board have yet to reach that offer level.”
Moore continued by reporting “the framework involves Evan Fournier going to Boston, with the Celtics sending a player, the two picks, and using their Traded Player Exception from the Gordon Hayward trade.”
Finally! A deal that brings two legitimate players -- Gordon and Fournier--to Boston that could score 20 on any given night.
Brace yourself Celtics fans. It’s March and Ainge is actually close to pulling the trigger on an in-season move. He hasn’t made a trade deadline move since acquiring Isaiah Thomas on February 19, 2015. Sorry, Jabari Bird.
“Negotiations continue with the Magic preferring Marcus Smart while Boston is reluctant to part with their longtime emotional heartbeat and All-Defensive Team guard,” Moore reported via his sources.
Ainge making a deadline move AND Smart could be a part of it?! That’s reality right now.
I think if Smart were to be involved in this trade, Boston should only send two lottery protected first-round picks.
If Smart is not involved, I would think the picks would not be protected and this would now bring in guys like Payton Pritchard, Aaron Nesmith and Robert Williams into play.
With Terrence Ross on an expiring deal, Nesmith would make the most sense of the three. Money-wise, the team would likely need to send out Tristan Thompson’s $9.5 million salary to make this work to keep the team below the hard cap.
The Celtics could make this trade without exhausting the entire $28.5 million trade exception leaving a portion to be used this offseason.
Gordon is a crazy athletic wing who can excel in transition or in a catch and shoot situation.
Gordon is inside the Top 15 three-point percentage (47.8%) among players with 30 or more attempts this season in catch and shoot situations, ahead of guys like Kevin Durant, Damian Lillard and Paul George. He can guard multiple positions and is exactly what Stevens wants in his defensive system of switching everything.
This trade-in-the-works makes you respectable again among the NBA’s top teams. It keeps Tatum and Brown happy and not feeling like they have to do everything. Gordon and Fournier are knock down shooters that Tatum and Brown can find hanging out in the corner.
While Fournier is on an expiring contract, Gordon has one season left on his current deal. Boston could offer him a four-year, $88 million contract extension.
If Ainge decides to make a move before Thursday’s trade deadline, this is it. There isn’t a superstar out there on the market nor could Boston make such a trade with a lack of attractive assets.
A young, proven wing in Gordon plus a veteran scorer is what this team needs. Gordon literally fits the “size with shooting” search that Ainge is currently on. Fournier would fill Boston’s void for a scorer off the bench.
My biggest question with all of this is what would the closing lineup look like?
Kemba Walker-Smart-Jaylen Brown-Jayson Tatum-Daniel Theis- Robert Williams? -- Why trade for Gordon and Fournier in a huge package if not a part of your closing lineup?
Smart-Brown-Tatum-Gordon-Theis/Timelord? -- Anyone really believe Kemba would move to the bench in crunch time?
Kemba-Brown Tatum-Gordon-Theis/Timelord?
We have over 48 hours to go until Thursday’s trade deadline. The only way I’m surprised is if Ainge does absolutely nothing. I would feel disgusted for Celtics fans.
The pressure is on Ainge.
It’s time to pull the trigger and stop being interested.