Boston Celtics general manager Brad Stevens made an early start on trade deadline day, bringing in a backup center who could play a role in the postseason. But is Stevens finished? Jay King and Jared Weiss are preparing for a championship run on the Celtics' next move.
Jared Weiss: Stevens made a move Wednesday to acquire Grizzlies big Xavier Tillman for a 2027 second-round pick via Atlanta and a 2030 second-round pick via Dallas and Lamar Stevens. The rumors around the Celtics since training camp have been that unless Luke Cornette, O'Shea Brissett, Niemias Keta, or someone from the aforementioned Stevens group can prove they are capable of actual playoff time. , the idea was that the Celtics would make a big depth-enhancing move at the deadline. .
So do we have our answer now? Is Tillman going to replace Cornette in the rotation?
Jay King: Even if he doesn't get all of Cornette's minutes, Tillman gives the Celtics another type of frontcourt option. EPM, a catch-all impact metric, puts him in the 99th percentile of all defenders. For a guy with his power, he has great footwork around him. He can switch to guards and keep them in front of him. He is a defensive playmaker and is one of 14 players to average at least one steal and one block per game so far this season.
“I think he brings great versatility as far as defense,” Peyton Pritchard said. “We've seen him play, he can defend bigger, he moves his feet very well. Obviously, being in Memphis has given him a lot of attention. So he definitely adds another layer to us.”
Another thing he adds is that Tillman is physical enough to handle the biggest and toughest matches. The Celtics didn't have many options to throw to Joel Embitz, Giannis Antetokounmpos and Nikola Jokic. Kristaps Porzisis can protect the rim, but handling the most physical duties is not his strength. Jrue Holiday has had the challenge of guarding almost every type of opponent this season, but he's only 6 feet 4 inches tall. There's no telling how well throwing him to Embiid, for example, will work during a seven-game playoff series. Al Horford was probably the only player the Celtics felt comfortable using that type of player.
They also have Tillman, just in case. Most likely, if the Celtics are healthy, he won't play much in every playoff series. However, he could be pivotal in certain matchups. The front office did a good job acquiring him without giving up a realistic chance of cracking the postseason rotation.
Weiss: I like him for the playoff rotation. Porzisis plays less than 30 minutes per game, while Horford plays about 27 minutes. Head coach Joe Mazzula may need to score a third point every other game if they are to survive a long playoff run. Work load is reduced. For Porzigis in particular, he has never been eliminated in the first round, and it's a huge unknown how he will be able to last through what would ideally be two months of physical battles in postseason basketball. In particular, we've seen Horford lose his defensive impact in seven straight games against athletic big teams and in up-tempo transition series.
That's the great thing about Tillman, he's okay with losing. He's just 25 years old, but he has toughness and a lot of experience. The team could play him as the fourth or fifth in most lineups, considering he should thrive in Boston's switch and high-drop coverage on defense. So when Horford needs a break or Porzisis is being bullied down the stretch, Tillman can step up in a way that Cornetto or Keta can't. I don't think this is like last season where Mike Muscala came in and spent two seconds on a guy who had to take a few shots. Tillman contributes in a way that fits the Celtics' identity.
“Skilled, tough and well-coached,” Mazzula said. “Obviously we paid a lot of attention to him because of the teams he played for and his coaches. And his defensive versatility, he put up really good numbers against some of the top centers in the league. His pick-and-roll defense and rim protection are pretty good, so I think it gives him versatility at that position. ”
The question is on the offensive side. His shooting numbers this season have been abysmal, but the Grizzlies are short on two-way and 10-day players. Do you think he will return to Boston's system?
king: He should. His numbers are down, at least in part, because the Grizzlies don't have many great creators around him. They were destroyed by injuries. He has historically performed much better when not playing with his reserve-level teammates. Talent levels don't matter in Boston.
Tillman doesn't fly well over the rim for alley-oops. Based on his career numbers, he shouldn't take many 3-pointers from beyond the arc. But he can pass a little bit. he is smart All of this should help him generate better attempts around the Celtics' star players than the G League-level players who played a lot of minutes in Memphis. Tillman could be part of the Celtics' long-term plans if he fits well. That could be important, especially if Horford decides not to play much longer.
Weiss: Wouldn't it be perfect for a bite-sized Horford to slide in behind him?
king: If he's bite-sized, you're eating a big bite.
Weiss: What's great about his offensive skill set is that he can make the dribble handoff game work with his elbows and also has a bit of post-up ability with low blocks. They could use him with a lot of the action given to Cornette or Horford, especially if they plan on having him shoot a corner 3.
So check the big backups off the Celtics' deadline wish list. They've already spent two seconds, but there's still plenty of time to spend. Now that they're living on the second apron, do they use more picks to acquire another player they barely need right now, or do they keep players and add talent to the roster? facing a difficult problem. The new second-round exception makes picks in their 30s and early 40s even more valuable to teams in financial straits like Boston. That's because adding talent on cheap long-term contracts is severely restricted. That's a big part of why they kept making trades until they acquired Jordan Walsh in the draft.
What do they still need? Does anyone think it's worth it?
king: They still have a $6.2 million trade exception at their disposal. Although there are no immediate needs, Stevens said last month that he would look for a big wing to add depth behind Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. Sam Hauser is a reliable sharpshooter off the bench, and O'Shea Brissett has played well lately, but the Celtics probably have one in case they need another forward for some reason. Perhaps they could still use a player who “breaks the glass in case of an emergency.” Come on playoff time.
As Stevens said, the Celtics won't have many options for players who would fit TPE. Names that are at least somewhat intriguing include Naji Marshall, Kris Dunn, and John Konchar. Boston could also extort more salary to acquire a player who makes more than TPE. Still, there will be a limit to how much salary the Celtics can get back in a trade, since it's unlikely that Stevens will have anyone in the top six. Are there any other potential targets? What do they hope to accomplish on the final day of trade season?
Weiss: Marshall is the most interesting option. That's because he fills a long hole on the defensive wing nicely and is a minimal player heading into restricted free agency with a low qualifying offer. The Birdwrights have become Boston's best friend these days, as the second apron makes it difficult to bring in other types of players. Stevens filled the back of the roster with a bare minimum of veterans, with two-way players Keta and Brissett being the only additions that cracked the rotation.
So bringing in a player who has enough defensive versatility to switch to most guards but can handle the league's bigger wing defenses is appealing. New Orleans already has a lot of wings, so they could get an early departure from Marshall to get some assets. I expect the Pelicans to want a quality second-rounder, but I don't know if he's worth it unless the Celtics think they can essentially get him a minimum long-term contract. do not have. Paying Tillman two seconds makes sense if you're going to use Tillman, but Marshall won't be able to beat Hauser for minutes unless it's a matchup that Hauser really can't handle. They'll likely face someone who can rough up Hauser in the playoffs, so maybe they should trade Marshall.
Saddiq Bey's name will always come up among Celtics fans, especially considering he dropped 25 points in the Celtics' 125-117 win over the Hawks on Wednesday. But he is shooting 30.8 percent from deep this season after shooting 40 percent post-deadline with the Hawks last season. They don't need to add a non-shooter who isn't a threat to them defensively.
You are one of the leading voices on the Kris Dunn hype. Does he make sense for this team?
king: The Celtics would likely prefer a bigger wing, as Stevens suggested last month, but Dunn could ruin an offensive player's night. With him, Derrick White, and Jrue Holiday, Boston will have three of its best perimeter defenders. Dan isn't the best shooter. He's not an explosive scorer. But given the way he guards, he could be an insurance policy in case Pritchard can't hold the defense at some point in the playoffs. If the Celtics can upgrade one of the spots on the end of the bench, whether it's Dunn or someone else, they should.
(Top photo: Jerome Miron/USA Today)
