Bradley-For-Morris Trade Gives Celtics Another Defender vs. LeBron, Paves Way for Jaylen Brown to Start

                In order to make room for Gordon Hayward and his reported 4-year, $128 million max contract, the Boston Celtics opted to part ways with shooting guard Avery Bradley. The Celtics traded Bradley, one of the league’s best perimeter defenders, and a 2019 second-round pick to the Detroit Pistons in exchange for forward Marcus Morris.

                Before President of Basketball Operations Danny Ainge and his team sent Bradley to Detroit, Boston reportedly shopped Marcus Smart and Jae Crowder in trade talks. When the 2017-18 season concludes, Smart will be a free agent—albeit a restricted one—like Bradley (unrestricted), but the popular opinion held that Crowder was the most likely to be moved because he plays small forward, the same position as the newly-signed All-Star forward Hayward, Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, the No. 3 overall pick from June’s NBA Draft. That logic was flawed in many aspects. As evidenced by the 2017 Finals, the NBA is becoming a positionless league—a sentiment echoed by Celtics head coach Brad Stevens.

                “I don’t have the five positions anymore,” Stevens said. “It may be as simple as three positions now, where you’re either a ball-handler, a wing or a big.”

                By Stevens’ definition, Crowder is a wing—one who is fully capable of starting alongside Hayward. Crowder’s contract—which pays him $6.7 million this season, $7.3 million in 2018-19 and $7.8 million in 2019-20—is one of the best in the league and makes him an asset worth holding onto. Furthermore, the 6’9” 27-year-old remains Boston’s top defensive option against Cleveland Cavaliers superstar LeBron James.

                The Celtics realistically had no shot of re-signing Bradley in the summer of 2018. They just inked Hayward to a massive deal—a summer after signing Al Horford to a monster contract—and still need to pay Isaiah Thomas, a free agent in 2018 who averaged 28.9 points per game last season and finished 5^th in MVP voting. Teams, including the Pistons, will likely offer Bradley a lucrative, long-term deal, perhaps in the $25 million (annual) range, a contract the Celtics will not be able to match.

                Even if the Celtics could fit Bradley in the team’s cap, it’d be senseless to throw massive amount of money at the guard who has sit his ceiling as a player. Not when his understudy Smart, 23 and three years younger than Bradley, can do many of the same things defensively and is still evolving on offense. Smart took a big leap this past season, elevating his scoring and ball distribution on offense, while also improving his off-ball guarding and one-on-one defense.

                Assuming Crowder starts next to Hayward and Horford in the frontcourt and Smart continues to be the first guy off the bench for the Celtics, Jaylen Brown is set to become a permanent member of Boston’s starting-five. Brown played much better as a starter, averaging 9.5 points in 20 starts and reaching double-figures in scoring 10 times. Brown, who saw in uptick in minutes as the season wound down and even managed to be a part of the Celtics’ playoff rotation, has as much upside as any player from the 2016 NBA Draft Class. And while the Summer League is hardly a preview of things to come, it’s impossible to ignore Brown’s dominance in the exhibition contests in Salt Lake City. In the summer league games in Utah, Brown averaged 17.5 points and 10.5 rebounds per game.

Jaylen Brown looks to build upon a strong rookie season. (Winslow Townson/AP)

               Brown’s insertion into the starting unit also opens up more playing time at the wing positions to rookie Jayson Tatum and the newly-acquired Marcus Morris, a tweener forward who last season averaged 14 points and 4.6 rebounds per game on 42 percent shooting from the field and 33.3 percent from three-point territory.           

                The 6’9” Morris is not nearly the player Bradley is, but he provides the Celtics with two things the often-injured Bradley did not: elite durability and a lengthy defender to guard LeBron. Morris has played in 77 or more games in each of the past five seasons and no player guarded LeBron more effectively than Morris in the 2015-16 regular season.

One under the radar positive about Marcus Morris? Durability. Here's his games played totals over last 5 seasons:
77
82
81
80
79

— Brian Robb (@CelticsHub) July 7, 2017

            According to ESPN.com’s Tom Haberstroh, James averaged just 20.5 points per 100 possessions when defended by Morris that season—much lower than his 36.5 points per 100 possessions average on the season.

LeBron James has words with Marcus Morris, then a member of the Pistons. (USA Today Sports/Tim Fuller)

                In this past regular season, Morris ranked 66^th among all players in defensive win shares. The only two Celtics players that ranked ahead of Morris?—the aforementioned Crowder and Smart.

                While it may be tough for the Celtics to wave goodbye to Bradley, who became a solid role player under former head coach Doc Rivers before ultimately becoming a First-Team All-Defense member (2015-16) and reliable offensive player (16.3 points per game in 2016-17) under Stevens, he was the odd man out after a trade became inevitable following the Hayward signing.

                        The Celtics were never going to get equal value for Bradley—not when it became obvious they were looking to deal the guard before he hit free agency—but acquiring another guy for Stevens to throw at LeBron on defense is hardly a major loss. And while Bradley’s tough-nosed defense and underrated shot-making ability will be certainly missed, especially as the Celtics’ newcomers take time to jell with their teammates, his departure opens the door for Brown to potentially become a star, something Bradley will never be.

Celtics Should Offer Pelicans The Motherload To Acquire Davis

                Is it even possible to land New Orleans Pelicans forward/center Anthony Davis in a trade? After all, the budding superstar is arguably the best big man in basketball. The 6'10'' Davis leads the league in blocks per game (2.5) and ranks second in points (29.1) and sixth in rebounds (12.3) per contest. His player efficiency rating (PER) of 28.3 trails only leading-MVP candidate Russell Westbrook of the Oklahoma City Thunder.

            Problem is, the Pelicans (15-24) aren’t winning and are well on their way to a second consecutive dismal season. Davis shouldn’t be held entirely at fault, though, for New Orleans’s struggles as the talent surrounding him sucks. The second-best player on the roster, Jrue Holiday, is far from a star and in the modern-day NBA, teams need at least three upper-echelon players to seriously contend. Not only does New Orleans lack a co-star for Davis, the franchise is devoid of young talent with high upside, outside of perhaps rookie guard Buddy Hield.

            Signing a five-year, $127 million extension in June 2015—then the richest contract in league history—Davis won’t be a free agent until 2021. Even with Davis under team control for another four years after this season ends, New Orleans should at least entertain offers for its superstar. The Pelicans finished with the sixth-worst record a season ago and will likely find themselves in the lottery again this spring, so the best long-term option for New Orleans may be to blow up its mess of a roster and start fresh by accumulating assets for the future. 

            With that in mind, the Boston Celtics—who always come up in trade discussions because of their treasure cove of draft picks and young talent—may be the most worthwhile trade partner for New Orleans to engage with if Davis is, by any means, on the market.

            Now one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference, the Celtics believe they aren't far from a championship-level squad—provided they add a premiere star to their roster. And that, of course, is easier said than done. Without grabbing another star to compliment All-Stars Isaiah Thomas and Al Horford, the Celtics will be a (significant) step behind the NBA champion Cleveland Cavaliers for the foreseeable future. Boston is good—just not nearly good enough to win a title.

            Acquiring Davis gives the Celtics at least a puncher's chance at upsetting the LeBron James-led Cavaliers in the East. For Celtics President of Basketball Operations Danny Ainge, it makes sense to pull the trigger on a blockbuster deal by (finally) making use of the Nets’ first-round draft picks he obtained in the trade that sent Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett to Brooklyn.

            To acquire an elite caliber player like Davis, the Celtics need to throw everything they have to offer at New Orleans. This includes parting ways with the Nets’ first-round picks in 2017 (the Celtics own the right to swap their own first-round selection with the Nets) and 2018.

            In addition to two first-round picks—with both likely to be top-10 selections at the very least—the Pelicans will also want some young talent. Shooting guard Avery Bradley, a member of the NBA All-Defensive First Team in 2016 and a candidate for 2017 All-Star Game, will be sought after by New Orleans if it ultimately decides to make a deal with Boston. Jaylen Brown—the No. 3 overall selection by Boston in the 2016 Draft—and Jae Crowder are forwards who New Orleans would love to acquire as they plan for the future.  
            Using ESPN's trade machine, a deal is constructed below between Boston and New Orleans. In addition to the aforementioned bigger-name players, the trade also jettisons Hield to Boston—as the Celtics will need to fill the void at shooting guard with Bradley’s departure—and sends Kelly Olynyk to New Orleans—which makes the trade contractually possible and gives the Pelicans a young big man who plays the same position as Davis.

The players set to be traded in the proposal deal between Boston and New Orleans are posted above. Additionally, the New Orleans Pelicans will receive the right to swap their first-round pick with the Brooklyn Nets in the 2017 NBA Draft and obtain the Nets' 2018 first-round pick.

        

            In making this deal, Boston becomes a legitimate contender for the Larry O’Brien trophy. Meanwhile, the Pelicans stockpile assets for the future, in addition to netting young talent in Brown and quality starters with Bradley and Crowder. The trade worsens the Pelicans in the short-term, a positive for a franchise (that should be) looking to completely overhaul its roster and hit rock-bottom in hopes of getting as many high-end selections in the NBA Draft as possible.

            Time for Ainge to pick up the phone and call Pelicans General Manager Dell Demps.

*Player/Team Stats accurate as of 1/12/17

Trade Review

Boston acquires: Anthony Davis and Buddy Hield

New Orleans acquires: Avery Bradley, Jae Crowder, Jaylen Brown, Kelly Olynyk, the right to swap its first-round pick with the Nets in the 2017 NBA Draft and the Nets' 2018 first-round pick

Celtics Aim for Greatest Upset in Sports History in First-Round Series vs. Cavs

                It’s virtually impossible not to root for these Boston Celtics. Less than two years after trading future Hall of Famers Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett in an effort to rebuild with young talent, the Celtics are headed back to the postseason after just a one-year hiatus.

            The 2014-15 season was presumed kaput after the Celtics dealt point guard Rajon Rondo to the Dallas Mavericks—waving goodbye to the final piece of their 2008 NBA championship team and an integral player of their 2010 Eastern Conference championship squad. The Celtics were 9-14 at the time of the move. They would lose nine of their next 12 contests before the team shipped Jeff Green—the purported best player on the roster following the Rondo deal—to the Memphis Grizzlies. All hope seemed lost and talk of tanking for a lottery pick amplified. It was supposedly a forgone conclusion the Celtics would be watching the playoffs from their couches for a second straight year.

The Rajon Rondo trade did not sit well with Celtics fans at first. (AP/G.J. McCarthy)

            But something magical occurred after the Celtics traded Green. Spearheaded by head coach Brad Stevens, the Celtics rallied around one another and started playing spirited team basketball and along the way victories materialized. Then came the trade deadline deal for sparkplug Isaiah Thomas, the small-statured guard who the Celtics acquired from Phoenix. Behind Thomas—a legit candidate for sixth man of the year—the Celtics embarked on an improbable push to the postseason that became a reality following the Brooklyn Nets’ blowout loss at the hands of the Chicago Bulls on Monday night.

            The Celtics are 27-19 since the Green trade and stand at 39-42 overall with the season-finale slated for Wednesday night against the Milwaukee Bucks. An even more welcoming sight for the Celtics—they are 15-6 with Thomas in the lineup. And the most telling stat of all in Boston’s turnaround: the team has posted the second-best record in the Eastern Conference since Feb. 2, with only the Cleveland Cavaliers recording a better winning percentage in that time span.

            Speaking of the Cavs, the Celtics are set to duel LeBron James and Co. in the first-round of the 2015 playoffs. The matchup was clinched following the Celtics’ thrilling 95-93 win over the playoff-bound Toronto Raptors. The victory was highlighted by a game-winning jumper with .8 seconds left from Jae Crowder—the key cog acquired in the Rondo deal that appeared profoundly lopsided in the Mavs’ favor at the time of the exchange. In hitting that ridiculous fall-away jump shot from the right corner, Crowder and the C’s made sure they would play the star-studded Cavs when the playoffs open this weekend.

            The Cavaliers will be the favorites versus the upstart Celtics. Heavy favorites. With a Big Three of James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love, the Cavaliers begin the postseason as the Las Vegas favorites to win the title. And why not? The team has been rolling ever since the midseason trades that brought J.R. Smith, Iman Shumpert and Timofey Mozgov to the championship-starved city of Cleveland. Smith has become a three-point machine for the Cavs, who can space the court better than any team in the East. Shumpert has become a key bench player, thriving in perimeter defense and adding the occasional trey when called upon. Mozgov, meanwhile, has provided the Cavs a much-needed rim protector and a solid finisher in the paint who has corralled seven rebounds per contest since his arrival.

            By looking at the starting lineups’ head-to-head matchups, it’s easy to see why the Cavs are expected to cruise right past the young and experienced Celtics. The Celtics can’t come close to measuring up in the forward battles. James versus Evan Turner and Love against Brandon Bass are unfair fights, to put it gently. At center, Mozgov is more of a force in the middle currently than Tyler Zeller, albeit the former University of North Carolina standout has excelled in his first year in Boston. Irving, a three-time All-Star and the 2012 Rookie of the Year, has the clear advantage over defensive-minded rookie Marcus Smart at point guard. The only matchup that one can argue favors the Celtics lies at shooting guard, where Avery Bradley goes up against Smith. Bradley, an improved mid-range jump shooter and one of the elite perimeter defenders in the league, has a much better overall game than Smith. But keep in mind, Smith is playing in an ideal role for his talents. Smith won’t spend much time inside the three-point line as the offense only calls for his services as an outside shooter, meaning he can save more energy on the defensive side.

            How big of underdogs will the Celtics be, given all these one-sided matchups among the starters? Even with a clear advantage in coaching for Boston as Stevens has done a much better job than David Blatt (in terms of wins/expectations) with less talent, it will be hard-pressed to find experts predicting a series that lasts longer than five games. In actuality, most pundits are likely to forecast a Cavs sweep over the Celtics, who even after winning seven of their last eight, remain under .500 before their Wednesday night tilt in Milwaukee.

            The C’s chances in this series may as well be one in a million. Yes, cue the famous Lloyd Christmas line from Dumb and Dumber.

             A series-victory over the Cavs would not just be the greatest stunner in NBA playoff history, but rather the greatest upset in sports history. It would top the feat by Appalachian State of the FCS (formerly Division 1-AA), who conquered previously No. 5 ranked Michigan at the Big House in 2007. It would be a bigger upset than the New York Giants’ victory over the previously unbeaten New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLII. And it would even triumph the ‘Miracle on Ice’ that featured United States amateur and collegiate hockey players defeat the Soviet Union—who consisted of military players (thus making them non-professionals in hockey and eligible for the Olympics) that in reality practiced yearlong together—in the 1980 Winter Olympic Games.

            How could the Celtics eliminating the Cavs be a greater magnitude of an upset than the ‘Miracle on Ice’? Two reasons. One, Boston was a supposed bottom-five team in the NBA before the year started. ESPN’s Fall Forecast had the Celtics going 26-56, Bleacher Report projected a 21-61 season, while no CBS Sports expert predicted the Celtics to win more than 27 games. And keep in mind, those predictions came before Rondo and Green, Boston’s expected two core players for the impending season, were traded. Second of all, this is a best-of-seven series, meaning the Celtics have to defeat the Cavs four separate times to advance. No disrespect to the heroics of Appalachian State, the Giants or the U.S. men’s hockey squad, but it would be hard to envision any of those teams achieving their respective upsets in a best-of-seven setup.

            My prediction: Cavs in five. And bear in mind, my forecast is partially clouded by my rooting interest. As a Celtics fan, I would be thrilled to see a long series, but it just doesn't seem physically possible. But the Celtics have proven me wrong all season. Maybe they could do it one last time. Again, Lloyd Christmas mentality for Celtics Nation.