Boston Celtics Replace Smart In Backcourt
Boston Celtics Receive: G Dejounte Murray
San Antonio Spurs Receive: G Marcus Smart, F Aaron Nesmith, BOS 2022 1st Round Pick (Top-5 Protected), BOS 2024 1st Round Pick (Top-5 Protected)
The Boston Celtics are currently 16-18 and are struggling to remain relevant in the Eastern Conference. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are two great All-Star talents, but this team needs a third star right now, especially with the Nets, Heat, Bucks, and now the Bulls all having various All-Stars to turn to for production.
Dejounte Murray has long been a rumored target of the Celtics and he is the best player that this team could possibly pursue ahead of the trade deadline this season.
In 31 total games with the Spurs this season, Murray has averaged 17.8 points, 8.4 rebounds, 8.8 assists, 2.0 steals and has shot 43.8% from the floor. Being a terrific facilitator and athlete on both ends of the court, Dejounte Murray has solidified himself as one of the most improved players in the league this season.
San Antonio is going through a small rebuild right now and are re-tooling with talents like Murray, so if they are to give him up, they will have to be receiving some really talented players and value in return.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: LeBron James, Steph Curry Make NBA History Tuesday Night
Marcus Smart has always been one of the league’s best defenders and being 27-years-old, he is still young enough to be one of the faces of the Spurs’ rebuild. San Antonio’s problem right now is that they do not have an identity other than having a handful of athletes on their roster.
By adding Smart, they can become a great defensive team and he is not the only value they get in this trade. Aaron Nesmith and two first-round picks from the Boston Celtics gives the Spurs plenty of future value to continue building a strong-looking core for future success.
However, they seem to already have that in place with Dejounte Murray, Derrick White, Keldon Johnson and others. Convincing the Spurs to trade Murray will be very difficult for the Celtics to do, but he is absolutely someone that could fit in nicely next to Brown and Tatum.
Both Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum are ball-dominant players that lead this Boston Celtics offense right now, but Dejounte Murray’s best trait is his ability to push the pace of play. In the open floor, Murray is extremely hard to guard and with the Celtics ranked 20th in the league in pace right now, he could really change the dynamic of this offense that has struggled as of late.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: LeBron James, Steph Curry Make NBA History Tuesday Night
Being 25-years-old, Dejounte Murray is definitely worth the large investment for the Boston Celtics and can be a player they build with next to Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown for the foreseeable future.
