NBA insider has some concerns about Celtics’ blockbuster trade for Kristaps Porzingis
"How does he fit into their defensive scheme, which has been heavy on switches?"
NBA insider Zach Lowe believes that the Celtics have improved in some areas of their roster in the wake of their reported three-team blockbuster trade with the Wizards and Grizzlies.
In Kristaps Porzingis, Boston now has another potential All-Star talent who can space the floor, score in the post and bolsters the team’s pick-and-roll defense.
However, Lowe still offered up some concerns about the state of the Celtics roster during ESPN’s “Get Up” on Thursday morning.
While some of Lowe’s apprehension with Boston’s trade falls on the impact of Marcus Smart’s move to Memphis in the swap, he also believes that Porzingis’ unique skillset may not exactly meld with the current personnel in place with the Celtics.
“No. 1, I think Marcus Smart is the best passer on a team that does not have a lot of great passers in Boston,” Lowe said. “That’s one of the reasons their crunch-time offense has melted down. No. 2, I love the fit of Porzingis as a stretch center, a 3-point shooting center. He can post up a little bit, particularly when one of [Jayson] Tatum and [Jaylen] Brown is on the bench. But can he play with Robert Williams if Robert Williams is healthy? He can probably play with Al Horford, but who’s closing games for them?”
“Those are all questions. How does he fit into their defensive scheme, which has been heavy on switches? They made themselves bigger, which they probably needed to do, but they have three guys now who are really centers in Horford, Robert Williams and Porzingis. I realize that this trade is a hedge against Al Horford’s age and Robert Williams’s injury [history], but I think the fit questions — in particular, the playmaking questions — are kind of interesting for Boston.”
Although Boston did trade from an area of strength when it comes to their talented (but crowded) backcourt, Wednesday’s reported trade should be just the first domino to fall in what should be a very busy offseason for Brad Stevens.
With Boston reportedly adding two first-round picks in Wednesday’s deal, the Celtics now have additional assets that they can package with a roster player to secure a significant return.
Grant Williams’ pending status as a restricted free agent will also need to be addressed, with Boston potentially using him as a sign-and-trade candidate in order to add another element to its team.
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