Jayson Tatum Of Celtics Has Enterd Transfer Portal…
Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley sent Pascal Siakam to the Dallas Mavericks in one of the trades on his NBA Trade Block Big Board in exchange for Josh Green, Jaden Hardy, Richaun Holmes, signed and traded former Boston Celtics big man Grant Williams, a 2025 second-round pick (via TOR), and a 2026 first-round pick.
According to Buckley, Siakam would mean the Mavs were betting big on a new Big Three consisting of Siakam, Kyrie Irving, and Luka Doncic.
“If the Mavs are convinced that Kyrie Irving is the right sidekick for Luka Dončić, they might want to scramble to find a third star and potentially put this club on a championship path,” Buckley stated. Siakam might be ideal for the position because he could start offensive plays when one or both of the guards take a seat and would be a dynamic screen partner. In addition, he is a resilient impact defender who can hold his own against players of almost every shape and size.
In Buckley’s scenario, Williams and the other players headed for the Toronto Raptors would complement Scottie Barnes up north.
Buckley began, “The Raptors, meanwhile, should now be focused on making Barnes’ life easier, and this trade could do that in myriad ways.” Hardy, in particular, packs a potent scoring punch, and the picks could produce more keepers. Williams and Green could fill three-and-D roles around him. Holmes could fill in at center if necessary, but his main role would be to make the money work.”
Another of Buckley’s suggestions on his NBA Trade Block Big Board involves the trade of two former Celtics players who were sent to different teams during the previous three summers for one another. Malcolm Brogdon, for example, becomes the next big addition to the New York Knicks in return for Evan Fournier and a number of draft picks that will go to the Portland Trail Blazers.
What is the meaning of all these deals involving former Cs? It might indicate that the players are difficult fits for most locker rooms, but that is unlikely given that Brogdon and Fournier both had multi-year contracts with the Milwaukee Bucks, Indiana Pacers, and Orlando Magic, respectively.
It’s clear that both had a difficult post-Boston fit. It’s safe to say that the Celtics are a winning machine under President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens, especially in light of the team’s subsequent success.
Stevens stated on January 4 that a “big wing” is the only rotational player Boston needs.
Stevens stated, “I think we’ll continue to watch free agency and trades, and I would like to see how we can find another big wing or so that can help us, and I think that could be from within” (h/t NBC Sports Boston). “But once more, the difference between this year and perhaps previous years is that, in terms of money, our tools are pretty limited.”
Additionally, Stevens gave Brissett and every other reserve wing the opportunity to take advantage of the opening to fill that position.
Stevens remarked, “I don’t want to say that person isn’t in the building because they might be in there right now.” “When our bench has entered games that don’t play as they’ve helped us, it has greatly encouraged me. I’m happy to see that our guys have a demanding travel schedule in January and that we have five games in [seven] days as we proceed through this stretch. For those guys, there will be more opportunities, which will be beneficial as February approaches.
