At the NBA Trade Deadline, this would be the Celtics’ worst-case scenario.
The Boston Celtics aren’t anticipated to make a significant move by the NBA trade deadline on Thursday. However, it doesn’t mean their primary Eastern Conference competitors will remain silent.
Even though the Celtics lead the East by a comfortable margin and are expected to hold that position absent a major upset, the other great teams in the league might make Boston’s postseason journey far more challenging by making a move.
However, one team in particular may have an equal opportunity to join the Celtics in the NBA Finals if they execute a specific trade before the deadline. The Philadelphia 76ers are that team.
The 76ers already have the necessary components in place to A midseason addition or two would give them a much greater chance of challenging the Celtics and getting over their postseason hump, since they have lost in the conference semifinals the last three seasons and haven’t made the conference finals since 2001.
The 76ers have the potential to make the following trade with the Chicago Bulls, which the Celtics should hope they don’t wind up doing:
DeMar DeRozan and Alex Caruso are acquired by the 76ers.
Marcus Morris Sr., Robert Covington, Nicolas Batum, and first-, second-, and third-round picks in 2024, 2024, and 2027 are awarded to the Bulls.
With DeRozan, who is presently averaging 22 points per game, and Caruso, a superb wing defender, Philadelphia would receive two genuine scorers. Last season, Caruso was named to the NBA’s All-Defensive First Team.
The 76ers have another scoring option when DeRozan plays next to Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and Tobias Harris. This relieves burden on Embiid and Maxey to create offense and puts it on the defensive players. Even though DeRozan can still make lots of mid-range jumpers in the postseason, the mid-range jumper is no longer a value shot.
The 76ers would have someone else to throw against Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown if they acquired Caruso. Caruso would probably match up with Brown, and it wouldn’t be shocking if the 6-foot-5 guard made the star player for the Celtics into a turnover machine, as he has shown time and time again during the series.
However, why did the Bulls accept this offer? Due to the expiring contracts of Morris, Batum, and Covington, the Bulls will have salary flexibility this offseason to add a big-name free agent. Chicago, which entered Friday in ninth place in the East with a 23-26 record, isn’t going anywhere. They’re also acquiring draft capital and cap space for DeRozan, who has the option to leave in free agency at the end of the season.
is most likely the best they can manage.
The 76ers would have a potent eight-man rotation with Embiid, Maxey, Harris, DeRozan, Caruso, Kelly Oubre Jr., De’Anthony Melton, and Patrick Beverley if this transaction went through. That is perhaps even more potent than what the Bucks have to offer.
Naturally, Embiid’s health is the deciding factor for the 76ers’ viability in the East. On Thursday, Shams Charania of The Athletic reported that Embiid sustained a lateral meniscus damage to his left knee. How long Embiid will be out of commission is a mystery.