To aid in a deal, the Celtics have three second-round picks in the next draft in addition to their first-round picks in
2024 and 2027.
Not too long ago, the NBA celebrated a significant milestone. 81 players became eligible for trades on December 15,
making an overall total of 88 percent of the Association’s players that met that criteria.Although there haven’t been
any deals this month in the previous two seasons, it’s a period when the foundation for upcoming moves is set.
Colleague Tim Bontemps was greeted by host and ESPN NBA analyst Zach Lowe on the latest episode of The Lowe
Post podcast. Both Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown felt that current Boston Celtics team is the best of their careers.
Boston is 21-6, and it is tied with the Minnesota Timberwolves for the best record in the NBA.
The only teams in the top five in terms of offensive and defensive rating are the former and the Philadelphia 76ers.
The latter’s net rating is the highest (11.5). In that area, the Celtics rank second (9.1).
They are generally regarded as having the finest top six in the NBA. Beyond that, Sam Hauser has established
himself as a two-way wing and locked down the seventh slot in the rotation. Additionally, Payton Pritchard scores 7.1
points, pulls down 3.1 rebounds, and dishouts 2.9 assists a game. His development when running the pick-and-roll is
apparent, as he is drilling 39.4% of the four threes he is hoisting on average.
However, Boston is all in on capturing its second apron and
When talking about the kind of player the Celtics should go for, Lowe and Bontemps mentioned a wing that they
thought Brad Stevens, the team’s president of basketball operations, ought to seek.
Boston already has a relationship with one player, John Konchar of the Memphis Grizzlies. The four-year veteran’s
minutes vary, and he isn’t a lock for the starting lineup. From 20.8 in the 2022–2023 season to 18 this year, they
have fallen.
In 22 games, the six-foot-five wing is averaging 3.4 points, 4.1 rebounds, and almost a steal. The 27-year-old is a
proficient low-volume three-point shooter who has converted 1.8 of his career attempts at a 36.9 percent clip.
Even though Konchar has only made 33.3% of his 2.2 attempts from beyond the arc this season, he has shown that
he can manage sporadic playing time and usually maintains rhythm even when he doesn’t get many touches or
minutes.
Despite being 2-0 since Ja Morant’s return, the Grizzlies are currently 8-19 and ranked 13th in the Western
Conference. It makes logical to trade Konchar for a comparable return or a second-round pick.
This season, the former star of Purdue-Fort Wayne is owed $2.4 million. Thus, his contract easily falls inside the
$6.2 million transferred player exception (TPE) that the Boston Celtics established when they acquired Grant
Williams from the Dallas Mavericks in a sign-and-trade.
His $18.5 million, three-year deal will begin in 2024–2025 and have an average yearly value of $6.2 million.
Konchar’s contract might be useful in a future trade, and he would provide the Celtics with another shooter.
Cedi Osman was the other possible target mentioned by Lowe and Bontemps. For the underperforming San Antonio
Spurs, the six-foot-seven forward is averaging 8.3 points, 2.4 rebounds, and almost two assists per game.
This season, the 28-year-old, who has a lifetime three-point shooting percentage of 35.4 percent on 4.3 attempts, is
making 36.1% of his 3.6 attempts from beyond the arc.
Given that his $6.7 million deal is about to expire, he is ineligible for the Grant Williams TPE. However, Boston
could still put together the required contracts to sign him if it so desired.
Furthermore, he makes sense as a trade candidate given that San Antonio, 4–23, is now at the bottom of the Western
Conference standings. The Celtics’ connection to the Spurs may facilitate a trade if they are interested in him.
Isaiah Stewart was recently connected to the C’s as well. He can play at the four and five positions and is a rotation
player capable of making the playoffs, but he has two restrictions: a poison pill ban that expires on July 1, 2024, and
a four-year, $60 million extension that begins the following season.
The latter is valued at $15 million on average per year. Thus, Boston would be forced to abandon its long rotation
and incur a higher cost, which would make obtaining him unlikely.
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