Now that Jared Sullinger is out for the season (
), Bass and Jeff Green should both get a lot of playing time at PF. That's not such a bad thing, because it means both players will get more opportunities to rehab their value. Either they prove they can be a part of the team's plans moving forward, or they make themselves more palatable as trade targets for other teams. In any case, while previously Bass was blocking Sullinger, now we need him to play. So it makes more sense to keep him.
Jason Terry, on the other hand, is 35 and only getting older. His value isn't going to get higher. A playoff team might still look to give up something of minor value in order to add a veteran shooter with a history of making big shots in big games.
Any proposed Terry trade should accomplish two things:
1. Help get the Celtics under the luxury tax for this season. This is important because the Celtics don't want to be dipping into the luxury (and thus risk the repeater penalty in future seasons) for the sake of fielding what is at this point a borderline playoff squad. This means the incoming salary should be significantly less than the outgoing -- $1-1.5 million less, ideally.
2. Get the Celtics a young[ish] piece or two who can perhaps earn some playing time on a team suddenly desperate for healthy bodies, and perhaps make a case to be kept around in the future. Ideally an expiring contract.
A team that will want Terry will be:
a) looking to be competitive this season. forget about teams way out of playoff contention.
b) not protecting cap space in the future. this eliminates teams like Atlanta and Dallas.
c) lacking shooters, particularly competent scoring ballhandlers off the bench.
With those things in mind, 5 Terry trade ideas:
#1: Terry to Memphishttp://espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=atywtasTerry + Collins
for
Tony Wroten
(Grizzlies use trade exception from Gay trade to take on Terry)Grizzlies get a needed defensive center backup (Marc Gasol is currently the only center on their roster) and, more importantly, a veteran, ball-handling shooter to come in off the bench. Right now Bayless is pretty much their only bench scorer with the ability to create offense for himself or others. The Grizz can afford to take on some salary now that they've rid themselves of Gay.
The Celtics get what is essentially a late first round pick in the form of Wroten, a raw but talented combo guard prospect who could earn some significant playing time over the rest of the season.
#2: Terry to Indianahttp://espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=a7bpb47Terry
for
D.J. AugustinThis saves the Celtics exactly $1.5 million and gives them a bit more of a pure point guard (compared to Terry) to back up Bradley. The Pacers get a more reliable, efficient, and experienced veteran to stabilize their bench unit and give them some scoring they desperately need.
#3: Terry to Denverhttp://espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=b4dkrq6Terry
for
Timofey Mozgov
(Nuggets use trade exception from Nene)Celtics get a (raw) backup center prospect they can use. He's an expiring so they can keep him or let him go after the season. Mozgov is currently buried behind Koufos and McGee in the Nuggets' rotation.
The Nuggets are (very) heavy on big wings like Brewer, Chandler, Iguodala, and Gallinari, but they don't have any competent, smaller ball-handling guards other than Lawson and Miller. They also really lack reliable outside shooters. Lawson is the only one of the aforementioned bunch who can shoot consistently from outside. Terry would help their playoff push.
#4: Terry to Brooklyn
http://espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=bausbxhTerry + Collins
for
Teletovic + Taylor + ShengeliaCeltics get a few prospects (a guard and a couple of forwards). Teletovic is the most NBA-ready; he's a stretch big, sort of like a poor man's Ryan Anderson.
Brooklyn gets an experienced veteran bench scorer who is a more reliable shooter and scorer than Watson, Bogans, Stackhouse, or Brooks. Collin is included because the Nets could use a backup center who can play some defense (something neither Lopez nor Blatche can do) in case they come up against a team with post scorers.
None of the players they're trading away are significant rotation contributors for them. They're looking to win right now and the East looks pretty wide open for them. A run to the ECF, or even the Finals if they get hot, could be in the cards. Hence a win-now move like this makes sense.
#4. Terry to Houston
http://espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=bcsyahsTerry
for
Cole Aldrich + 2nd round pickThis trade is a bit more of a stretch, because Houston isn't so much in "win now" mode as a super young team. But they could use a backup SG, and they also lack veteran leaders. They're also probably headed for the playoffs. They have bigs to spare and cap room, too. This doesn't seem too far fetched.
The Celtics save money and get a center prospect who is also an expiring contract. Aldrich hasn't made a great case for himself to stick around in the league, but maybe he can make a case for a chance on the Celtics. A second round pick from the Rockets could sweeten the deal, but it would still be a decent deal for the Cs if the Rockets weren't willing to include one.