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The NBA Trade Deadline is at 3 p.m on Thursday. The Celtics have been linked to a few names, the latest being Detroit’s Markieff Morris. He’s still on the table and would provide the Celtics a deep threat off the bench.
Morris is shooting 39.3% from 3-point territory in 2019-20. He’s not a particularly good defender, but he’s long (6-foot-8) so brad Stevens could find a way to make things work.
Of the two types of players the Celtics have been linked to — excluding Evan Turner — Morris falls in line more with Davis Bertans and Danilo Gallinari than Andre Drummond and Clint Capela. (Miami is close to acquiring Gallinari and the Hawks completed a deal that delivered them Capela.)
There are still a few names floating around — though, Alec Burks and Glenn Robinson III, two guys who would’ve given the Celtics what they’re looking for, were traded by Warriors to the Sixers for three second-round picks on Wednesday.
Operating under the notion the Celtics are looking for someone who can provide long-range shooting off the bench, here are three other players the Celtics could target before the deadline, in addition to Morris and Bertans:
Solomon Hill, Grizzlies
Both Hill and Jae Crowder were late scratches for the Grizzlies on Wednesday, so they’re involved in deals that are in the works. Crowder isn’t on this list because he’s shooting 29.3% from deep this year.
Hill, on the other hand, is shooting 38.1% from beyond the arc. And he’s already comfortable coming off the bench — that’s been his role in Memphis.
Luke Kennard, Pistons
The Suns were in on him, but the deal fell apart. According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, there were issues regarding protections on the first-round pick Phoenix was sending Detroit.
Luckily for the Pistons, the Celtics have three 2020 first-round picks at their disposal (assuming the Memphis and Milwaukee picks convey, which remains the trend).
Kennard is shooting 39.9% from long-range this year and is a career 40.2% 3-point shooter.
His major drawback: his knees.
Kennard is dealing with tendinitis in not just one of his knees. He’s got it in both of them. Kennard hasn’t played in a game since December 23.
Nemanja Bjelica, Kings
The Kings dealt Dewayne Dedmon on Wednesday, and they’re focused on re-signing Bogdan Bogdanovic before the off-season, according to NBC Sports California. Sacramento is far from a contender this year and they need to make other moves to change that for 2020-21.
Bjelica is a helpful piece, but he’s not putting the Kings over the top — which is why they offered him to the Lakers for Kyle Kuzma, according to Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer.
His money ($6.8 million) is a non-issue and Bjelica has been lights out from deep (43.4%) this year, and he has shot over 40% from deep in each of the two previous seasons — so this isn’t a fluke year.
The problem with trying to acquire Bjelica is Sacramento’s opinion of him.
The fact that the Kings thought they could trade him to LA for Kuzma is a reach on Sacramento’s part — as much as the Lakers forward might be overrated. The Sacramento forward would be a good addition for the C’s, but Kuzma is simply more dynamic. The point of bringing up the Lakers deal is if the Kings thought they could trade Bjelica and get Kuzma, what are they going to expect from the Celtics?