The Boston Celtics are a team that could try and make some moves during the offseason. Despite making the Eastern Conference Finals once again during the bubble last season, the Boston Celtics have been an inconsistent team this season, which has caused them to be the 6th seed in the Eastern Conference, despite finishing 3rd last season.
The Boston Celtics could potentially move for another star, one that could bring them over the top in the Eastern Conference. Someone that they should look at is DeMar DeRozan of the San Antonio Spurs. While DeRozan is a free agent this offseason, a sign and trade is not out of the question. Here is a potential sign and trade deal that the Boston Celtics could execute for DeRozan:
Boston Celtics Receive: DeMar DeRozan (sign and trade)
San Antonio Spurs Receive: Kemba Walker, Aaron Nesmith, a future second-round pick
The San Antonio Spurs Get Assets In Return For DeMar DeRozan
It would make sense for the San Antonio Spurs to agree to a sign and trade if DeMar DeRozan were open to it. While those deals aren't exactly pulled off often, there is a possibility that DeRozan would want to go to the Boston Celtics as they have two young stars which he could team up with. In that case, the San Antonio Spurs could receive a fair package from the Celtics to facilitate their help with getting DeRozan on the team.
Kemba Walker is a former All-Star that would be the centerpiece of the deal in terms of contract and talent. Getting Kemba Walker in return for an expiring star would be an appealing proposition for the San Antonio Spurs, and they would even be able to move Walker down the line.
Kemba Walker has been solid this season, with 18.6 PPG and 5.0 APG, but the Boston Celtics could flip him for DeRozan in order to get an upgrade on the offensive end. Aaron Nesmith and the second-rounder would mostly be sweeteners in order for the deal to go through, though there is a chance that the San Antonio Spurs could develop Nesmith into a capable shooter.
The Boston Celtics Create A New Big Three
While Kemba Walker has had a solid season, getting DeMar DeRozan paired with Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown could be beneficial for the franchise. DeMar DeRozan is an extremely adept playmaker while still being a 20 PPG scorer. That sort of skill set could be useful for the third option on a contender, and perhaps DeRozan could give them a chance to compete in the Eastern Conference against powerhouses like the 76ers and the Nets.
When you have two elite scorers on the team, you need a player who can facilitate for the rest of the team so they can get easy shots. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are both talented scorers, but not many would say they're among the best passers. DeMar DeRozan could potentially be a better fit than Kemba Walker for the Celtics team, as Walker is often categorized as a shoot-first point guard.
While DeRozan isn't necessarily a "point guard" by classification, we've seen forwards like LeBron James and Ben Simmons play the point guard role on teams to great success. DeMar DeRozan could take some of the scoring and facilitating burden off of Brown and Tatum, which would make their offense better, and could help the Celtics' young stars flourish.
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