Does this trade make sense for the Boston Celtics?
Seeing that they’ve been reluctant to move Marcus Smart over the years, the Celtics may try to get as much as they can out of him in a trade. However, his value likely isn’t what it once was as we now know what type of player Smart is. Even though Smart could possibly net a better return from a losing team that is desperate to add him, Boston gets a decent haul from Dallas in this scenario.
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Richardson isn’t going to be a go-to player for the Celtics, but he does bring versatility to the team. Getting Richardson allows Boston to have more flexibility on how they want to use Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown on the floor together. Throughout his career, Richardson is a capable scorer, but his shooting from beyond the arc has worsened in recent seasons.
Maybe his contributions on the defensive end can convince the Celtics to make a move for him. It does help that Richardson will be entering the final-year of his current contract. If his initial season in Boston doesn’t quite pan out as originally hoped, both sides can move on.
The two intriguing parts of the trade are Brunson and the future first-round pick. With Boston seeking a new point guard, Brunson would work well alongside Tatum and Brown. Brunson doesn’t need the ball constantly to be effective, and he made a career-high 40.5 percent of his three-point attempts this season.
Despite being undersized, Brunson is a high-energy player that would fit what the Celtics are looking for in a point guard after trading Walker.
