With the 8th February deadline looming, the Boston Celtics are expected to pursue Jazz’s sharpshooting 6’11’’ Kelly Olynyk. MassLive’s Celtics reporter Brian Robb informed that the Celts are interested in Olynyk who was drafted by them and played his first four seasons with them. However, the barrier to the trade is the Power Forward/Center’s $12 million annual salary.
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To free the cap space to sign the big sharpshooter, the Celts will have to deal away as many as four bench warmers. Olynyk is currently tallying 8.1 points per game on an impressive 56% from the floor and 42.9% from the deep.
New: Could the Celtics make a deal with an old friend this week? Multiple Jazz players have been on Boston’s radar as the team weighs options ahead of tomorrow’s trade deadline per sources. More: https://t.co/qrDZRt6WHI
— Brian Robb (@BrianTRobb) February 7, 2024
The management can use their three future first-round draft picks (2024, 2026, and 2031) to leverage a trade. However, the team would hesitate a bit to let go of a draft pick which is one of the best bargaining chips in the league for a deep-rotation player. The Green Machine can also explore other trade options from the feisty Utah Jazz roster.
Italian sharpshooting Simone Fontechhio has given Jazz 24-27 minutes a game regularly and has supplied 8.9 points a game. He is making 1.8 out of his 4.7 attempts from the three-point line, shooting at 39% from deep.
Therefore, he can be a lucrative option with a salary of just $3 million. Since he will be a restricted free agent, the Celtics organization can have much more control over Fontecchio’s fate. Though Phoenix Suns have also emerged as a contender for nabbing Fontecchio, their limited cap space puts them on the back.
Apart from that, 6’3″ PG Kris Dunn is also an option from the Jazz. The lockdown defender can provide 15-20 quality defensive minutes which the offensively loaded Celts won’t mind. However, even if the team doesn’t acquire any one of these players, they have almost all the bases covered.
Boston Celtics are one of the most consistent teams
With 38 wins and 12 losses, the Celtics stand at the top of the Eastern Conference and have the best record in the league by a comfortable distance. At home, they have the league-best 23 wins and just 3 losses. Their lineup’s versatility and size both have given trouble to opponents.
They have three guards in the lineup, Jrue Holiday, Jaylen Brown, and Derrick White. All these players can switch as the Wing while simultaneously creating shots both off the dribble and off the ball. What sets this trio apart is their defensive adaptability and communication as all three are capable of anchoring the defense and shutting down multiple positions.
And then there is the frontcourt of Jayson Tatum and Kristaps Porzingis. It is one of the most consistent and versatile scoring duos, with both shooting and driving capabilities. Off the bench, point guard Payton Pritchard and Sam Hauser make important deep-range shots to help the team spread the floor. Luke Kornet and Al Horford fill in the frontcourt regularly and having a vet like Horford helps maintain the defensive cohesion.
Since the Celtics have a roster spot open, they may like to try somebody out to give them further ammo. A big Wing like Fontecchio, a resolute defender in Dunn, and a vet like Olynynk are all enticing options. Moreover, it would give Porzingis, who is having a great season, much-needed breathing space. But regardless of the outcome during the trade deadline, the team has a lot of firepower to make a dent in the East.
