Celtics Have Reportedly Expressed Interest In 3 Veterans, Could the Memphis Grizzlies and Boston Celtics make this trade?
But they aren’t a perfect team by any means, and in particular, their bench is a significant concern.
Per NBC Sports Boston, the Celtics have expressed interest in big man Kelly Olynyk, center Andre Drummond, and guard Delon Wright.
Olynyk played for Boston for four years starting with the 2013-14 season, and at age 32, he continues to be a productive two-way role player who can play some effective defense while consistently hitting 3-pointers on the other end.
He’s averaging 8.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 4.3 assists in 20.5 minutes a game while shooting 56.0 percent from the field and 42.9 percent from 3-point range for the Utah Jazz this season.
At 6-foot-11 and 240 pounds, he can play both power forward and center, which would serve the Celtics well, as they need frontcourt depth more than anything.
Drummond is a true center who is a backboard eater, and he’s averaging 8.3 rebounds and 7.7 points in 15.8 minutes a game as a member of the Chicago Bulls.
Wright, who currently plays for the Washington Wizards, is a decent 3-point shooter who can also play some defense.
Further Reading:
Memphis Grizzlies Player Proposed as Boston Celtics Trade Target
The NBA trade deadline is quickly approaching, and the Memphis Grizzlies are one of the many teams to keep an eye on. While Memphis is a playoff team when healthy, a season-ending injury to Ja Morant, along with several other injuries to top players, have them well out of the Western Conference race.
This has led many to believe that Memphis could use this year’s deadline to re-tool for next season when Morant and others are back in the lineup. In a recent article from Dan Favale of Bleacher Report, five top trade targets were listed for each team, and Memphis Grizzlies big man Xavier Tillman was named as a good option for the Boston Celtics.
While this is analysis from Favale as opposed to sourced reporting on Boston’s interest in Tillman, there are some reasons to believe he could be on the move. Set to hit free agency after this season, Tillman may not be someone the Grizzlies want to commit to longterm.
If Memphis decides they do not see themselves re-signing Tillman, sending him to a contender for even a limited return could help them get back useful assets. This is an important deadline for Memphis, as a lot of decisions will need to be made with an eye for next season, which is when they hope to contend again.
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