Celtics Land Defensive Big Man, Sharpshooter in New Trade Proposal

Matt Levine | Nov 19, 2024

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The Boston Celtics hold a record of 11-3 through the first 14 games of the season. They have looked like the best team in the NBA, picking up right where they left things off in June.

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Boston is gearing up for a title defense and they have a strong roster to make that reality become possible. But there is always room for improvement and the Celtics could use some help in the frontcourt if they want to bolster their chances.

This would likely mean making a trade and the Celtics could look around the NBA for some help. Much like other teams in the league, adding a big man could be tough due to the high demand.

But in a new trade proposal, the Celtics add some frontcourt help. It requires them to move on from a fan and team favorite, veteran center Al Horford.

In the deal, Boston would trade for center Nick Richards and guard Seth Curry from the Charlotte Hornets. They would send Horford, a 2026 first-round draft pick swap, and a 2026 second-round draft pick.

Moving on from Horford would be tough but his play did decline in the postseason last year. For Boston to solidify itself in the NBA, bringing in some extra firepower in the frontcourt could help.

Richards has only played in five games this season due to injury but averaged 11.0 points, 10.0 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 2.4 blocks per game. His presence down low to help out Kristaps Porziņģis would be massive in the postseason.

He is scheduled to make $5 million in both this year and next, giving Boston a cost-effective big man. Additionally, adding Curry could help with the Celtics' overall depth in the backcourt.

Curry has been known to be a 3-point shooting specialist during his time in the NBA. So far this season, he is shooting 41.9 percent from beyond the 3-point line.

The former Duke product could help Boston with bench minutes and would fit in well with their heavy 3-point shooting game plan. The veteran is on a one-year, minimum deal so there wouldn't be too much of a penalty if things didn't work out.

With this deal, Boston could enhance their overall depth by landing two quality role players. It's certainly something that the front office should consider even if it means that Horford is moved.

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