The Boston Celtics already made one move this week to land Gordon Hayward in free agency. Could they be loading up for another big move in Marc Gasol?
Reports have indicated that the Celtics could be looking to move some of their assets in a potential deal to land a rim protector with the idea of potentially trying to land Gasol from the Memphis Grizzlies.
Adding the 7’1″ Gasol will obviously cost Boston, both in players and draft picks considering he’s the Grizzlies best player. It would also hit Boston in their cap space since he’s owed another $46 million over the next two seasons.
But given the fact that Danny Ainge has been stockpiling assets for what seems like four years now, this might be the kind of player he pulls the trigger on to unload some of the assets on. He tried to do so for Paul George, but the Indiana Pacers balked. He got Gordon Hayward in free agency, which is good.
But Hayward along with the rest of the Celtics roster wouldn’t put Boston over the top in the Eastern Conference. Adding Marc Gasol though could potentially do that.
Marc Gasol is a legitimate big man who can score, rebound, block shots and be the big man in the middle that Boston desperately needs to go along with Isaiah Thomas, Hayward, and Horford.
This kind of deal could potentially cost them the first rounder they have from the Brooklyn Nets in next year’s draft. A trade for Paul George may have cost Boston that pick as well if they pulled the trigger.
But the Celtics are so close to being the top dog in the Eastern Conference and are virtually one move away from overtaking the Cleveland Cavaliers, who swept them in the Eastern Conference Finals not too long ago.
A trade for Marc Gasol would certainly help them become a much better team and put them as a legitimate powerhouse contender in the Eastern Conference and in the entire league. Fans all over have wondered when Danny Ainge will make his move to land a top flight player with all of the assets he’s traded going back to when he dealt Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett several years ago.
He didn’t do it for Jimmy Butler. He didn’t get it done for Paul George. Maybe Marc Gasol is the guy he actually does it for. If Ainge does pull the trigger on a deal for Gasol, it could be just exactly what the Celtics need in order to get back to the NBA Finals.