NBA Rumors: Celtics Could Trade Jaylen Brown, Marcus Smart, And 1st-Round Pick For Draymond Green

Since the departure of Al Horford in the 2019 NBA free agency period, rumors continue to circulate that the Boston Celtics are looking to add a defensive-minded big man who is set to be available on the trade market before the February trade deadline. The Celtics may have signed Enes Kanter to replace Horford as their starting center, but aside from his current injury, the Turkish big man is a liability on the defensive end of the floor.

In the past months, the Celtics have already been linked to several defensive-minded big men. According to Fadeaway World, one of the most intriguing trade targets for the Celtics is Draymond Green of the Golden State Warriors.

“The Warriors want young players and draft picks, which is exactly what the Celtics can offer. The Celtics can acquire green by moving Jaylen Brown, Marcus Smart, and a first-round pick. The Celtics clearly need an upgrade on defense, and he will fit perfectly next to Kanter and Walker in the starting lineup For the Warriors, Jaylen Brown is a perfect player to play alongside Steph and Klay thanks to his length and ability to score the ball. Brown is also a developing defensive player, and he might thrive next to the two sharpshooters.”

In the proposed trade deal, the Celtics would be sending a trade package including Jaylen Brown, Marcus Smart, and a future first-round pick to the Warriors in exchange for Green. Though the deal works financially, the Celtics and the Warriors would have to wait until February 2, 2020, to make the deal since Green just signed a contract extension this summer. However, if the trade becomes a reality, it could potentially help both teams in filling up the needs to improve on their roster.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjRDds5_riY&t=32s

Green would be the ideal replacement for Horford. Aside from being capable of playing both the power forward and center positions, Green is also a great rebounder, floor-spacer, defender, and facilitator. In the four games that he’s played this season, the 29-year-old power forward is averaging 10.3 points, 7.8 rebounds, 4.8 assists, and 1.5 steals while shooting 45.7 percent from the field.

Adding Green to the core of Kemba Walker, Jayson Tatum, Gordon Hayward, and Kanter would undeniably boost the Celtics’ chance of fully dominating the Eastern Conference and winning a title in the 2019-20 season. Meanwhile, in exchange for Green, the Warriors would receive two reliable contributors in Brown and Smart, who perfectly fit the timeline of D’Angelo Russell. Brown has the potential to immediately start in the wing, while Smart could give the Warriors the much-needed backcourt depth. The future draft pick would enable the Warriors to add another young and promising talent or use it as a trade chip to further improve their roster.