Celtics Rumors: Analyzing Trade Talk on Goran Dragic, Reggie Jackson and More
It's no secret. The Boston Celtics could use an offensive upgrade at the point guard position.
Among their four most-used guards, Avery Bradley boasts the best field-goal percentage at a meager 42.9 percent. Bradley has done most of his work at the 2, Evan Turner is more of a facilitator than a scorer, Marcus Smart is more of a defensive-minded player at this point in his career, and Marcus Thornton is more of a short-spurt bench guy.
The C's are sort of caught in the middle between rebuilding and competing for the last playoff spot in the weak Eastern Conference, but no matter what direction they take, they appear to be operating with a focus on addressing the point guard position.
Let's take a look at the most recent buzz with Thursday's trade deadline approaching.
Goran Dragic
He's the talk of the NBA right now. Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski reported that Goran Dragic, who has a player option this summer, plans to opt out of his contract and enter free agency.
If the Suns, who own about every point guard in the NBA, believe that to be the truth (which they probably should) and move Dragic before losing him in July for nothing (which they probably should), the Celtics are a potential trade partner, per ESPN's Marc Stein:
Even with a decreased usage, Dragic is averaging 16.2 points and 4.1 assists per game on the season. He's a solid three-point shooter and is finishing at the rim better than almost any guard in the league. According to NBA.com, he converts on 68.2 percent of his shots from within five feet, which is more efficient than Stephen Curry (66.4), John Wall (63.9), Damian Lillard (60.3) and Kyle Lowry (59.7).
He would immediately become Boston's best offensive playmaker on the perimeter, but there's significant risk involved, as it's unclear if he would sign long-term with the team. Per Wojnarowski, the Los Angeles Lakers, New York Knicks and Miami Heat are Dragic's "preferred trade destinations."
USA Today's Sam Amick added to that:
Boston has approximately 72 first-round picks, and President of Basketball Operations Danny Ainge has a strong relationship with former assistant and current Suns general manager Ryan McDonough, so the foundation is there for a deal to get done. It will be intriguing to see how aggressive the C's get.
Reggie Jackson
Ready to prove his worth as a full-time starter rather than Russell Westbrook's backup, Reggie Jackson has reportedly asked the Oklahoma City Thunder to trade him, per Wojnarowski.
The fourth-year guard is clearly not happy, via The Oklahoman's Darnell Mayberry:
According to ESPN's Chris Broussard, Boston is among the teams interested:
On the year, Jackson is averaging 12.8 points and 4.2 assists in 28.0 minutes per game. However, he has proved quite capable when thrust into a starting role, putting up 20.2 points, 5.2 rebounds and 7.8 assists in 13 starts.
Jackson is a poor outside shooter (career 28.8 percent from three-point range), but like Dragic, he's a playmaker who can create and score around the hoop. Per NBA.com, he's 36th in the league in drives per game (6.5) and finishes at the rim at a solid 57.9 percent.
He's set to become a restricted free agent, so it's still a potentially risky acquisition, but the C's would have more control over his future than with Dragic.
Isaiah Thomas
While it's looking more likely that Dragic is gone in Phoenix, there is still a small belief the Suns may instead move Isaiah Thomas in hopes of winning over Dragic.
If that happens, Boston is "ready to pounce" on a player Ainge and Co. have always had interest in, according to CSNNE.com's A. Sherrod Blakely:
"If Suns management decides to unload Thomas, the Celtics will be among the teams to look closely at swinging a deal for the 5-foot-9 guard, a league source told CSNNE.com on Tuesday.
Last summer, one of the first calls made by Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge during the free agency period was to Thomas. Thomas later said Ainge and the Celtics were the first team to reach out to him during free agency, which ended with coming to terms on a four-year, $28 million sign-and-trade deal with Sacramento sending him to the Suns.
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At 5'9", Thomas leaves a bit to be desired on the defensive end, but he's an impressive offensive weapon. For his career, he's averaging 19.4 points per 36 minutes with a true-shooting percentage of 57.5.
"Isaiah is one of the most dynamic scorers and playmakers in the NBA," McDonough said, via Bright Side Of The Sun's Ray Hrovat. "I have always admired his competitive spirit and his love for the game."
Moreover, it's a logical fit, as Bradley and Smart's presence and versatility on the defensive end could help mask Thomas' deficiencies.
Ultimately, whether he starts in front of Smart or comes off the bench as a sixth man, Thomas is an electric offensive weapon who could give this team the offensive jolt it needs. Perhaps even more importantly, he's under contract at a reasonable $6.75 million per year through the 2017-18 campaign, negating any risk.
Stats courtesy of Basketball-Reference.com unless noted otherwise.
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