Just a season after making the Eastern Conference Finals, the Boston Celtics are in free-fall. With a 15-16 record, and some really bad losses under their belt, there is some real doubt that they can turn things around before it’s too late.
So, ahead of the annual trade deadline, we can expect the Celtics to be among the most active teams on the market. In a recent article, Mark Nilon of Hardwood Houdini outlined one particular trade scenario that could bring the Celtics a pair of quality defensive players.
(via Fansided’s Hardwood Houdini)
Celtics get: Lonzo Ball, Steven Aadams
Pelicans get: Kemba Walker
In return, the Boston Celtics would bring back Lonzo Ball who, quite frankly, could very well be a better fit in Beantown than in NOLA alongside Tatum and Brown.
Now in his fourth season in the league, the 23-year-old has established himself as quite a reliable all-around player.
His set-up skills are rivaled by few others in this league, while his 6-6 frame with a 6-9 wingspan allows him to be a sound rebounder for his position as well as a highly versatile defender.
For the Pelicans, Kemba Walker can be a real boost to their offense as a premier shot-maker and playmaker.
For a market like New Orleans, stars are an incredibly hard commodity to come by. Because of this, trading for one like Kemba Walker could be a realistic concept, especially considering the fact that they are currently looking to contend in the tough Western Conference and have a lacking pool of experienced veterans.
The 30-year-old would come in and formulate quite a nice big-3 alongside young studs Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson, and, in turn, could help alleviate the defensive pressure thrown at both of them on a nightly basis, as the point guard himself is also a crafty shot creator who demands a double-team.
Needless to say, both the Pelicans and the Celtics need a significant boost to their roster if they want to improve their current position.
In Boston, Lonzo and Adams is a duo that can improve the team on both ends of the floor. Besides Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Marcus Smart, it could be enough to get them going back in the right direction.
