The Boston Celtics and New Orleans Pelicans are two teams that are looking to make some changes.
After coming into the season with a ton of lofty expectations, Boston is 15-16 through 31 games and sits at No. 6 in the Eastern Conference. The team is widely regarded as one of the most disappointing ones in the entire NBA thus far, and has publicly signaled that it needs to make a move of some sort.
New Orleans obviously didn’t enter this year with the same sort of expectations as the Celtics, but sitting at 13-17 and No. 11 in the Western Conference isn’t the best of looks. Clearly the organization has a nice young core in Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram, but there are a few other pieces that need to be moved.
Lonzo Ball has been the subject of a ton of trade speculation, as has J.J. Redick.
This week, Mark Nilon of Hardwood Houdini suggested a trade that could end up being a win-win for both the Celtics and Pelicans.
In the proposed deal, Boston would walk away with Steven Adams and Ball. New Orleans, meanwhile, would get Kemba Walker.
The Celtics would emerge from this transaction with two wins. One, they’d get a solid young point guard who they could develop. Two, Adams would solve a lot of their frontcourt woes.
For the Pelicans, meanwhile, this an opportunity to add a respected veteran presence at the point guard slot who can help guide Williamson and Ingram in a way that will pay massive dividends over the next few years. He is also a proven shot maker and extremely effective off the dribble, forcing opposing defenses to account for him in a way they don’t have to for Ball.
The video speaks for itself. https://t.co/FHJEdZ5jPI
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There are two things currently complicating this prospective transaction. The first is the fact that Ball has made it abundantly clear that he wants to be traded to one specific team, and it isn’t the Celtics. Two, due to totally warped reasoning, the Celtics didn’t even want to do a trade for James Harden because it’d require breaking up their core. Will they suddenly change course when it comes to Ball and Adams?
One way or another, these teams need to do something. Will that something prove to be this particular trade? Time will tell.
Related: 2 Legit Trade Suitors For Kings’ Hassan Whiteside
Charles Kruger has been credentialed to cover two Super Bowls, four NBA Finals, and one World Series. A 20-year veteran in the sports world, he has sources spanning the NBA, MLB, NFL, UFC and NASCAR. Currently residing in Los Angeles, Calif., he is Game 7’s go-to source for rumors surrounding the Lakers, Clippers and Dodgers.
