NBA trade season is in full swing, and could the Celtics be ready to pull the trigger on a Marc Gasol deal?
Like we outlined with a potential Carmelo Anthony deal last week, the Celtics would essentially have to gut their roster to make this work. The easiest way to make it work would be to trade Al Horford, but it’s highly unlikely Memphis has any interest in the C’s big man. FOX Sports’ Chris Broussard talked about Gasol and Horford on The Undisputed late last week.
“This is so unlikely for many reasons, No. 1 – financially,” Broussard said. “I mean, Boston’s got no more big contracts, other than Hayward who they’re obviously not trading. Al Horford would have to be in the deal. And if you’re Memphis, why would you do that?
“Even if they were to get Gasol and keep Horford, I still wouldn’t pick them over Cleveland. But they’d be better and you could imagine – Gasol and Brad Stevens and Gordon Hayward? A great passing game with ball movement. But how would Isaiah fit into that? Because he’s always been on teams where he can just do whatever he wants. Where he’s the focal point.
And even if they got past Cleveland, how in the world would they guard Golden State? Gasol, Horford, Hayward. That team’s not guarding Golden State.
“So, would they do all of that? Max Horford, max Gasol, max Hayward, max Isaiah in the future, just to finish second at best? With all those assets that they have? I don’t see it happening.”
Memphis has to be considering a complete rebuild at this juncture, however, and keeping the 32-year-old Gasol doesn’t make much sense beyond player attachment from the fan base.
Ainge told the Boston Herald this past weekend that the Celtics are not “comfortable yet” with their current roster and they are “still going to search things out to see if [they] can find anything that makes [them] better this offseason.”
For today at least, Jae Crowder isn’t being mentioned in trade rumors. But if the Celtics are hell-bent on getting another max level player to Boston via trade in the near future – Crowder will absolutely be part of that package. The recently acquired Marcus Morris would also have to go if the Celtics’ plan is to try and get four blue chippers on their roster to place alongside players on their rookie deals.
Something like this would work, money-wise when it comes to a potential Gasol swap:
Jae Crowder
Marcus Morris
Marcus Smart
Terry Rozier
Jordan Mickey
The Celtics would obviously have to throw in one of their potential future lottery picks. One would think the Lakers/Kings pick they got from the Sixers would appease old friend Chris Wallace in Memphis.
