With the 2023-24 NBA season continuing to draw closer, one of the top contenders in the Eastern Conference once again will be the Boston Celtics. After coming up just short against the Miami Heat last season in the Eastern Conference Finals, the Celtics will be looking to take the next step and get into the NBA Finals. Some things will look different, with Kristaps Porzingis now in town and defensive specialist Marcus Smart now in Memphis.
Despite the changes that the Celtics have made this offseason, the roster is one of the best in the league. However, the Celtics and Brad Stevens have always remained active looking for ways to improve the roster.
While most of the trade rumors have died down, there are still talks ongoing throughout the league. Boston is likely a team that would love to make another move or two to improve.
Bleacher Report recently mentioned three names that would make sense for the Celtics to target in the trade market.
Among the three names that they came up with, there was one intriguing veteran guard. That would be Indiana Pacers’ point guard T.J. McConnell.
McConnell has been a key part of the Pacers’ rotation over the last few years. He is one of the most pesky perimeter defenders in the NBA and is great at setting teammates up with open looks as well. He may not have a great scoring ability, but McConnell has been crafty getting into the paint, especially with short pull-up jumpers in the lane.
Last season with the pacers, McConnell ended up averaging 8.7 points per game to go along with 5.3 assists, 3.1 rebounds, and 1.1 steals. At 31 years of age, McConnell could be a perfect pickup to help fill Smart’s defensive role. He gets into passing lanes often and provides a very physical style of defense.
Expect to see a few more moves happen around the NBA in the coming weeks. The Celtics would love to add to their roster and this could be one way to do it.
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