Tag Archives: Memphis grizzlies

NBA Draft: How the Celtics Can land the #2 Pick

Untradeables/Untouchables

First, lets start by outlining what won’t be on the trade table. Gordon Hayward‘s contract-production combo makes him immovable. If Horford accepts his $30M option, he would also be hard to trade due to his age and what he can bring to a team. Sean Faulkner breaks down the cap problems perfectly in his roster prediction article. Also, expect the Grizzlies to want to keep Mike Conley and Jaren Jackson Jr., quality players that they can build around without the #2 pick. Lastly, I’d imagine Jayson Tatum is untouchable, as Ainge and Brad Stevens see huge potential in him.

Trade One: C’s try the Danny Ainge low-ball

Celtics receive: #2 pick (Ja Morant), C.J. Miles Grizzlies receive: Jaylen Brown, Semi Ojeleye, #20 pick, #22 pick

Danny Ainge has made a living off of stealing picks in the NBA Draft for well under their value. Here, he places one of his excess wings (Brown) with some extra compensation and takes C.J. Miles to keep salary fairly close. Notice the Celtics lottery pick (14th overall) is not included in this trade. If Memphis sees Brown as value enough, the C’s could replace Brown at 14 with talented wings projected to be there. This would be a steal for Ainge if he can pull it off. Draft props don’t favor this result, though Ainge’s success would be a payday for any willing bettor.

Jaylen Brown is a valuable trade asset that would get a larger role elsewhere

Trade Two: Blockbuster shakeup

Celtics receive: #2 pick (Ja Morant), Kyle Anderson, Jevon Carter Grizzles Receive: Jaylen Brown, Robert Williams, Semi Ojeleye, #14 pick, #22 Pick

Ultimately, the Celtics will have to give the Grizzlies a rather nice haul if they hope to land the uber-talented Morant. This NBA Draft is top heavy, and thus drives up trade value of top-5 picks. The Celtics get to keep their 20th pick, and get a quality wing in Kyle Anderson. The Grizzlies, in turn, get young talent to bolster their roster and a lottery pick to help ease the loss of Anderson. This is the most likely trade scenario, and would give the Celtics some contract flexibility and a future star in Ja Morant.

Which NBA teams should Celtics fans keep an eye on?

Memphis Grizzlies

Mike Conley (11) of the Memphis Grizzlies flexes during a game against the New Orleans Pelicans. (Photo from TheCommercialAppeal.com)

In 2015, the Celtics, Grizzlies and New Orleans Pelicans orchestrated a three-team trade sending forward Jeff Green from Boston to Memphis in exchange for Austin Rivers, Tayshaun Prince, and a protected future first-round pick. Rivers would eventually be traded to the Clippers for a second-round pick. Prince went to the Pistons in a three-team deal involving Isaiah Thomas. The Celtics still hold the Grizzlies’ draft pick, which will be protected if it falls in between No. 1 and No. 8 in 2019 or No. 1 and No. 6 in 2020, and will be unprotected in 2021.

Last season, Memphis finished 14^th in the Western Conference with a 22-60 record. With the return of Mike Conley from injury, as well as the emergence of former Celtic MarShon Brooks, the Grizzlies may improve. If that is the case, the Celtics may get their hands on a draft pick in the back half of the lottery. Although if the Grizzlies are to struggle, it may be another season or two until the Celtics see any further return on Jeff Green.

Los Angeles Clippers

During the 2016 NBA Draft, the Celtics traded picks 31 (Deyonta Davis) and 35 (Rade Zagorac) to the Memphis Grizzlies for a future 2019 first-round pick from the Clippers. Boston still owns the Clippers pick, which is lottery protected in both 2019 and 2020. If Los Angeles has not conveyed the pick by then, they will instead convey a 2022 second-round selection.

With the Clippers returning to mediocrity, it seems unlikely the Celtics will receive compensation any time soon. Last season, the Clippers missed the playoffs for the first time since 2010-11. With the departures of Blake Griffin and Deandre Jordan, not one of their remaining players has ever appeared in an All-Star game.

When the Clippers inevitably struggle, it will be detrimental for Boston. Their best-case scenario would be to receive a first-round pick outside of the lottery. Celtics fans should be rooting for Doc Rivers once more, because the more the Clipper lose, the longer the Celtics will have to wait for a return.

Sacramento Kings

Sacramento Kings guard De’Aaron Fox (5) dribbles up court during an NBA basketball game against the Houston Rockets. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)

Prior to the 2017 NBA Draft, Danny Ainge made a bold, but brilliant trade, moving the No. 1 draft pick (Markelle Fultz) to the Philadelphia 76ers for the No. 3 overall pick (Jayson Tatum) and a future first-round pick in 2018 from the Los Angeles Lakers. Boston would only receive the Lakers pick if it was between No. 2 and No. 5, which it was not, however. So, Philadelphia will send Boston the better of their own or the Sacramento Kings 2019 first-round picks.

Celtics fans should not expect to receive the 76ers pick, as they finished third in the Eastern Conference last season and have two of the NBA’s brightest young talents in Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid. Rather, Celtic’s fans should expect to receive the Kings pick, as they are clearly the inferior team, finishing 12^th in the Western Conference last season. It will be important to keep an eye on De’Aaron Fox and the Sacramento Kings, as they could have a dreadful season, which would drastically assist Boston come draft day.

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Terry Rozier’s Days in Boston Are Numbered

The Birth of Scary Terry

Terry Rozier made quite the name for himself in the 2018 postseason. He took over for injured star Kyrie Irving and played a major role in Boston’s deep playoff run. The Celtics got within one win from the NBA Finals behind stellar team basketball and a few individual big-time performances from the young guard.

Entering the postseason Rozier had played in a total of 22 playoff games, starting in none. He took over as the floor general for the team with only 16 starts to wind down the season. In the 19 playoff games Boston played, Rozier averaged 16.5 points, 5.7 assists, and 5.3 rebounds per game.

Terry Rozier made a name for himself from the get-go, hitting a big time three pointer in the final seconds of Game 1 against Milwaukee. The team took care of business in OT as he finished with 23 points. Scary Terry was born, and quickly became a common household name for fans around the world.

Rozier’s Value

Rozier’s value could not be higher than it is right now. The way he has handled the pressure of stepping up and into Kyrie Irving’s enormous shoes can not be overstated. He has molded himself into a quality young point guard with a future as a starter in the NBA. Rozier has talked about his desire to be a starter:

“I know in the future I want to be a starter. Isaiah Thomas in the past and Kyrie now. That’s the only reason I don’t start. But I know I will be a starter in this league.”

The one problem- Boston does not need a starting point guard. With superstar Kyrie Irving at the helm, there is no opportunity for Rozier to play a starting role.

Rozier will play as the team’s sixth man next season. He will see decreased minutes as both Gordon Hayward and Kyrie Irving return to action.

Danny Ainge has a track record for maximizing return value in every transaction. He traded the organization’s most beloved player since Larry Bird in Paul Pierce. Danny shipped out future Hall of Famer Kevin Garnett. He sent Doc Rivers to LA. He even maximized Isaiah Thomas’s value right before his contract was up in a trade for Kyrie Irving.

Free Agency

Rozier is set to become a free agent after the 2019 season. Teams around the league will begin bidding for the blossoming young talent.

It is not likely that Ainge will make the same mistake that general managers in recent history have made.

Pacers’ GM Kevin Pritchard failed to move an unhappy Paul George until it became public knowledge that George wanted out of Indiana. The team ended up getting a good return for the All-Star forward, but by waiting too long it forced the team into a bad situation with next to no leverage in trade discussions.

Even Boston’s own Kyrie Irving forced his way out of Cleveland by making his discontent with the team public. Cleveland’s former GM David Griffin did a poor job of keeping the situation with Irving behind closed doors, leading to a forced trade to the Celtics. A trade that thus far appears to have worked greatly in favor of the Celtics.

If Danny Ainge and the management group for the Celtics see it as an inevitability that Rozier will leave the team next summer, they will not hesitate to make a move.

Draft Rumors

With rumors swirling surrounding the upcoming NBA Draft that the Celtics are looking to move into the lottery, all eyes are on the Rozier situation. The team is interested in Mo Bamba, a pre-draft lock to be taken in the top six. If Boston seeks to make a climb from 27, they will need to put together a monster package.

Any package offered has to be centered around Terry Rozier. The draft presents the perfect opportunity for the Celtics to trade Rozier at the peak of his value.

The Memphis Grizzlies (4th) and Dallas Mavericks (5th) have both openly stated that they are considering trading their pick this year.

The Celtics could offer a package centered around Terry Rozier and the 2019 Kings first rounder to snag Bamba. Mo Bamba is a 7’1” big man with a ridiculous 7’10” wing span. His presence would instantly boost Boston’s unstable front court and provide a much-needed rim protector.

Don’t be surprised if Boston makes a move like this in the days, hours, or minutes leading up to the draft. There will not be a better time to get max value, and Danny Ainge knows it.

Trade Deadline

In the more likely scenario that the team stands pat in the draft expect plenty of trade talks surrounding Rozier at the trade deadline. The deadline will be Boston’s last chance to trade Rozier for good value before he hits free agency. Depending on his performance to start the season the team should still get a quality return for a player of Rozier’s caliber.

By the deadline Boston will have a well-rounded idea of what the team will look like moving forward. Hayward and Irving will have played half a season together at that point, and the rotation will have begun to round out.

Boston’s front office has expressed a desire to keep Rozier, as the team would prefer to retain his services as a critical player in their championship aspirations. Despite their preference in the matter Ainge will need to see the bigger picture and make a move if he feels Rozier will leave.

The worst-case scenario would be waiting until next summer to move Rozier. By that time teams looking to pry him away from Boston will wait until his free agency hits to scoop him up without moving their own assets. Boston will lose Rozier and have nothing to show for it.

Given these circumstances and Danny Ainge’s history in similar situations as much fun as it has been watching Rozier blossom and as nice as it would be to have him moving forward, his days in Boston are numbered.