With the Celtics slipping under .500, a major move may be necessary before Thursday’s trade deadline to solidify Boston’s playoff chances. One of the hottest rumors surrounding the team has been a deal for Kings forward Harrison Barnes, and Jared Weiss and Jason Jones of The Athletic examine what a potential trade might look like.
The Celtics are in the market for a wing player with size who can improve the team’s defense. Barnes handles the toughest wing matchup for Sacramento and may be able to provide some minutes at center in small-ball lineups. Weiss notes that would enable Boston to explore moving Tristan Thompson, who is under contract at $9.72MM for next season.
Weiss proposes a deal sending Barnes, Nemanja Bjelica and Hassan Whiteside to the Celtics in exchange for Thompson, Grant Williams, Javonte Green, an unprotected first-round pick this season, and a partially protected first-rounder in 2023.
Sacramento played the Celtics on Friday, and Barnes was asked about the possibility of a trade. “Obviously Boston’s a great franchise, but for the time being I’m with the Kings and that’s where my focus is — my teammates in the locker room, going out there, putting it on the line every night and trying to win games,” Barnes responded.
There’s more from Boston:
- Without breaking up their core, the Celtics only have modest assets if they decide to become sellers rather than buyers before the deadline, according to Brian Robb of MassLive. Robb projects that Thompson, Semi Ojeleye or Daniel Theis would only bring second-round picks or unproven bench players in return, while Jeff Teague and Green have virtually no trade value.
- Bruce Castleberry of The Boston Herald believes immediate changes are necessary for the Celtics to turn their season around. He proposes putting Robert Williams and Payton Pritchard in the starting lineup in place of Theis and Kemba Walker. Castleberry states that Williams is Boston’s best big man, while a reduced work load could help Walker be fresh for the playoffs.
- Brad Stevens has no intention of returning to college basketball, even though his name has been floated for the vacant Indiana job, according to Jeff Borzello and Tim Bontemps of ESPN.
This team quit the minute doofus Danny said this team isn’t good enough to win it all who says that about their own team that they built
This team maybe in trouble for a long time because of miss used draft picks and no trade options teams aren’t going to want guys like Langford who hasn’t played much in 2yrs G.Williams who just throws up 3’s and nothing else Walker who’s making way to much and has been injured for 2 yrs
They shouldn’t trade R. Williams at all no matter what Brown should be made more available then him personally I don’t think J & J will work long term for them but I wouldn’t trust doofus Danny now to get a good package for him in a trade it would end up like the Betts trade a bunch of who’s and useless prospects
I hate a lot of things Danny has done too but him trading Brown, Tatum or Timelord would be one thing I’d have high confidence in. He wins most trades and that’s some of the problem. He hardly makes trades because he has to win.
This team needs to do something drastic now. You can’t wait until offseason. At that point the rot might be too deep.
If you’re looking to trade for a difference making player who will get your team above .500 and cement your playoff seeding, Harrison Barnes ain’t it.
Because he was so bad with Golden State before they replaced him with KD? Barnes is a solid 2-way player, I’d take him over Blake Griffin any day.
Barnes 16/6/3 while shooting 49/37/83 with a PER of 16.1.
DBPM is underwhelming and might be a slight concern if you’re really looking for him to help you on D, but those stats may be more of a result of Sacramento than Barnes, IDK.
Either way, I think he’s probably one of the better frontcourt role players (possibly) available. And for the Celtics even someone average could be a significant upgrade. Not a homerun but could move the needle more than you may think for the right team.
From a Kings Stand Point – Not one of those player named can make a Free Throw to save their A**. I say No to this Trade. We don’t need to make a trade just for the Purpose of making a Trade. It’s got to make sense and help the team. This does NOT !! Kings Fans are sick and tired of being of being in rebuilding mode and a Perineal Lottery Team, every single year !!
The 2 players that need to go are Bagley and Hield. They are the problem.
After that pathetic showing last night, I’d be fully embracing rebuild mode. Trade anyone with value for draft picks and continue tanking, whether intentional or not
Kings would only target bottom 7 teams and Warriors pick
Example
Kings Rockets trade
Kings would never never target Bucks and Nets picks
Kings would only target Rockets 2022 own pick or 2021 lucky one
Rockets have nothing Kings want except those 2 picks
Pathetic it was, but, That Said, you do Not give up the Farm for a lousy return.
You need to build the Team around these four Guys :
6-3 PG Fox
6-5 SG Haliburton
6-8 SF Barnes
6-10 C Holmes
Everyone else can go to where ever. Bagley is a Cancer that needs to go, as is Hield.
Possibly get :
6-10 C Drummond, move Holmes to PF and / or get 6-8 PF Collins from Atlanta.
Agreed
I’d offer Halliburton, 2021 top 3 protected First
and 2023 top 3 protected First for Collins
Hawks would take the offer
Huge offer to Hawks
Barnes Bjelica and Whiteside would be a great haul for Boston — especially considering the guys they’re (hypothetically) giving up are doing oogatz for them now.
Not sure how realistic it is Sac moves all of them for two middling 1st rounders but who knows
Interesting that Stevens shot down the rumor of him taking the Indiana job when yesterday it sounded like a done deal…
From the time he got hired, I had him in my mind as an “inevitably back to college” guy… Not sure why, but it never seemed like he’d enjoy the pros as much.
Since the celtics still need more help… If they make this move and still don’t make the finals it shows that they are truly overrated.
Do you really think the Celtics are one Harrison Barnes away from being championship contenders? Get real
So they need absurd amounts of help even with 3 stars??? Interesting.
Their 3 “stars” have them under .500, so clearly something’s not working
Who are the three stars? Tatum and Brown but who’s the third?
Ostensibly Kemba but this whole framing of the Celtics is a little disingenuous.
A.) Kemba has been injured a large portion of the year
B.) Tatum had COVID and has been upfront about his issues coming back from it
C.) Every role player save for Pritchard has underperformed expectations.
Yes, Boston is in a bit of trouble here, but not nearly as much as some people would like to believe. Tatum and Brown are still stars. They’ll figure out the rotation guys (they can’t get any worse). The only major issue is Kemba’s health and athleticism as he enters his 30’s.
What’s hurting then is their bench. Horrible. Yes it would help.
Anyone who thinks Kemba should come of the bench never played basketball. Pritchard is good but he is or will be a Kemba. I hope I am wrong. Kemba is getting better with each game he plays. The reason we have Tristian is no one wanted him and Danny has burnt the FA bridge with Al and Gordon. Irving leaving also has left many questions. Let Brown and Tatum Learn to Lead is Kemba can’t this year. Trade Kemba and use the TPE in the Off season. Nobody is going to beat the Nets this year if Durant gets well. Drummond will come when he is bought to guard EMbrittle.
Horford wanted to play power forward. That is why he left. It had nothing to do with Danny burning bridges
Celtics have no chance to truly compete this season. They should “semi-tank”, get into the lottery and then fire Stevens who may be the most over-hyped, over-rated coach out there. Time Lord should have been starting ages ago but Stevens has only been using him, it seems, out of desperation. Hire a real coach and a GM who knows something about drafting. Dummy Ainge is so fixated on drafting guards it’s absurd.
Time lord has issues with his health that’s why his minutes are limited.
Call it what it is: the Celtics have been in decline for the past four years. Getting Kyrie was their initial mistake, while losing Hayward made it most obvious.
With Tatum, Brown, Smart, and R.Williams, they have a great core to build around. They need to offload Kemba and sell the rest of their other guys.
Make offers on Norman Powell, Aaron Gordon/Fultz, and Myles Turner.
Decline? They’ve made the ECF twice in the last four years haven’t they? That’s quite the decline
Also their two best players are 23 and 22. They suck this year but I think they’re going to be ok long term
Yes, they’re still a good basketball team, no one is saying blow it up, but they’ve been less good since getting Kyrie. The East has gotten weaker around them during that time, too, and they still lost to the 5th seeded Heat after the post-Kawhi Raptors took them to 7 games.
They have an opportunity to jump-start how ok they’re going to be long term if they stop pretending they’re contending.
Barnes is not Hayward. He could improve the defense and free up Tatum somewhat though. Kings aren’t sellers of Barnes, but Bjelica could also be helpful in Boston, could be something there.
I don’t understand the negative take on Theis. He’s a very very good player. Tough, athletic, can shoot, facilitates. Sure, he’s not big enough to play center at 6’8″, but he’s a solid and valuable rotation player worth way more than a second round pick.
I do that Barnes trade. Definitely makes Celtics better and deeper. Definitely do it.
Don’t agree with all the criticism Kemba gets. You pushed him last yr to play hurt. Then this yr you didn’t make sure he was 100%. The guy Celtics have Never replaced is Al. Kemba is not the problem. If so the Knicks will take him off your hands. We will support a player from the BX.
Danny needs to go. What a waste
So many suggestions on this page!
Mine: Float Tatum’s name out there and see what teams would offer for him. Ainge might like the deal.
So much talk that things are dire for the Celts. They do have an also-ran look… and standards are high there.
Tatum scored 29 against the Cavs but they were mostly after the Cavs established the winning margin when Tatum seemed absent… he established himself later with easy one-footed fallaways but nothing changed. A down presser followed when he spoke about not
Maybe the FO wants a steady, non-up-and-down person put in the rotation. Barnes fits that, but sinply by lacking an “up” to get down from. A good influence perhaps, but flat is a limitation. Not sure it would work.
… about not being a leader, not about leaving parts out of his post.
Another famous fallaway shooter, Dirk, needed energetic players all around… Kidd Terry Marion Chandler.