After falling short of capturing back-to-back titles, the Boston Celtics have gone through a complete makeover this offseason. As they continue to tinker with the roster, one mock trade surfaced where they address a key area of need.
Between trading away Kristaps Porzingis and losing Luke Kornet and Al Horford in free agency, Boston has little to no depth in the frontcourt. The front office has brought in some new faces to man the center position, but they aren’t exactly viable options.
In the hypothetical scenario, the Celtics acquire Brooklyn Nets veteran Nic Claxton in exchange for a handful of depth pieces.
Celtics receive – Nic Claxton
Nets receive – Anfernee Simons, Sam Hauser, Xavier Tillman
From a fit standpoint, Claxton is the exact kind of player the Celtics need. He is an athletic big who is capable of producing on both ends and doesn’t command the ball much. Last season for the Nets, he averaged 10.3 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 2.2 APG, and 1.4 BPG.
Parting with key players like Simons and Hauser is a tough blow, but bringing in Claxton would give Boston a starting-caliber center for the foreseeable future. Not only is he signed through the next three seasons, but he’s on a descending contract. This is crucial for a Celtics roster that features Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown’s sizable deals.
With the Nets embracing a youth movement, Claxton is someone who likely could be acquired via trade. Given their glaring need at center, it would be an avenue worth strongly pursuing for the Celtics.
