The Celtics continue to separate themselves from the middle of the playoff pack in the Eastern Conference after rolling off four straight wins before Sunday’s setback against the Blazers. Big surprise contributors continue to take shape across the roster, including with rookie Hugo Gonzalez so let’s discuss the young wing, some trade possibilities and much more in this week’s mailbag.
**Hey Brobb, who are your favorite center targets for the Celtics at the trade deadline? — David P**
There will be plenty of deep dives into the Celtics trade options here at MassLive in the coming weeks but my favorites depend on how much salary the Celtics are willing to move in the coming weeks. There are some sizable salaries (Ivica Zubac, Daniel Gafford) that would require moving Anfernee Simons along with draft compensation to acquire but that would require a bigger shakeup to the team’s rotation as well as depleting the team’s cupboard of draft assets. Given how well Neemias Queta is playing in a starting role, I’m not sure the Celtics are going to go down that road and limit other potential moves.
Instead, a cheaper option could have more appeal for Boston that fits into the team’s budget better now and in the future. One name that surfaced during the offseason per Michael Scotto of Hoopshype is Nets center Day’ron Sharpe. He’s a terrific rebounder and showed some solid growth on the offensive end this year (although turnovers remain a problem). Making just $6 million for this season and next, he could be a viable backup optionoption behind Queta. Looking for a stretch big is also a distinct possibility but the market looks pretty thin in that area. For now, look for the Celtics to continue to see what Luka Garza brings to the table for the next few weeks before evaluating the position more.
**Why is Hugo better in the NBA than he was in Europe? — Dave**
It is a bit wild that this guy couldn’t play regular minutes for Real Madrid last year but that was reflective of a loaded international roster with a coach that clearly favors experienced veterans. There’s little doubt that Gonzalez has improved in the past year but he’s certainly getting more consistent opportunities than he saw last year.
It was evident that Gonzalez never really got into a shooting rhythm last year (32 percent from field, 29 percent from 3-point range) while playing just eight minutes per game. In Boston, there are better creators around him and he certainly hasn’t been asked to do much offensively beyond play hard, hit the glass and knock down open jumpers. He’s checked all of those boxes this year and the Celtics are clearly reaping the benefits from his unexpected freefall in the first round.
**How many different set plays/ATO have we played this year vs last couple of seasons? Eye test tells more we’re doing a lot more x’ and o’s… and even more ATO than in Brad’s tenure. Cheers and thanks Brian! — Rui**
I don’t necessarily think there has been a big difference with the number of sets we have seen but just some different offensive looks catered to this year’s primary offensive personnel. Joe Mazzulla obviously had to tweak some things following Jayson Tatum’s injury and other departures. Mazzulla and his coaching staff deserve tremendous credit on that front given this offense is pacing to be better than next year. The shooting and low turnover play has remained while the added offensive rebounding has raised the team’s efficiency to a different level. Brown and Pritchard have been getting to their spots in the midrange while the bench wings are hitting shots at an incredible clip. We’ll see if that sustains for a full season but it’s making Boston a nightmare matchup for most defenses thus far.
**What do rotations look like when Jayson Tatum is back? — Adam**
That’s going to be a fun conundrum for Joe Mazzulla to figure out. Even without him, some worthy reserves (Josh Minott) have been squeezed out of the rotation of late with Luka Garza emerging as a factor again at backup center. Even if Tatum is only playing 20-30 minutes when he returns this year, that’s likely going to squeeze one more wing and/or Garza out of the rotation. Who that player is probably is going to depend on the night and opponent. Jordan Walsh, Hugo Gonzalez, Minott and Baylor Scheierman have all done enough to earn looks against particular opponents so would expect that to be a feel thing for Mazzulla most nights. That’s something Brad Stevens thrived at as his Boston tenure wore on, rolling with certain guys on certain nights when they had hit going and Mazzulla has shown great growth with it this year. Sticking with Scheierman for the entire second quarter on Friday night against the Pacers is a great example of that. Whether
**What do you think the chances are Simons get moved and what would a realistic trade look like? — B Chris**
The Celtics are in a good situation with Simons. He’s fit in well in a bench role and given the team’s success with this group, there’s no pressure to move him. However, the Celtics could obviously upgrade the frontcourt and he’s a movable salary that could help them do that. Add in the possibility that the Celtics could pursue getting under the tax line this season (whether this team’s success so far has impacted that is a different question) and moving Simons’ contract is one of simplest ways to do that.
He has played well enough to build much value for a guy earning $26 million this year so if the Celtics want to cut money as part of any trade including him, they are likely still going to need to add some sweeteners. In that scenario, a trade with the Nets would be the most direct path to doing it since are only team left with significant cap room. Another option would be a three-team trade.