Why This Trade Makes Sense For The Boston Celtics

The Boston Celtics have been on the verge of making the NBA Finals for the last four seasons, as they have lost in the Eastern Conference Finals three times in the last four years. A lot of the blame definitely has to go on the Boston Celtics’ bench as management has constantly put a lot of money into the starting rotation, but has never given head coach Brad Stevens a reliable, solid bench to work with.

Last season, the Celtics had the 2nd worst bench in the NBA in terms of scoring per game and so far this year, things are not much better. Cutting ties with Kemba Walker now and being able to get two key players could be exactly what this team needs to push themselves into the NBA Finals and could be what they need to finally win another championship.

So far this year, Boston’s bench is bottom ten in the league and the bench will not get better anytime soon unless they make a trade to add some depth. Bledsoe and Redick are experienced, veteran players who can contribute immediately for the Celtics and each contribute in different ways.

So far this season, Marcus Smart, Jeff Teague and rookie Payton Pritchard have split time at the point guard position with Kemba being sidelined, but Smart is a much better player when he is not having to make decisions with the ball in his hands. Being able to play off the ball and thrive in catch-and-shoot situations is where he is best, especially given the talents they have in Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum. 

Eric Bledsoe could not only split time as the point guard in the starting rotation, but he could help them a lot defensively. Smart and Brown are two great perimeter defenders and adding yet another reliable defender could elevate the Celtics to one of the better defensive teams in the league. 

J.J. Redick on the other hand can be a big-time spark off the bench that they so desperately need. As mentioned earlier, Redick knows his role of being a great perimeter-shooter and with Boston’s gameplan revolving heavily around the three-point shot, he could thrive in their system. With guys like Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum drawing all the attention on the offensive end of the court, Redick could find himself with lots of opportunities to knock down big shots late in games. 

One thing the Celtics’ front office and GM Danny Ainge have done well over the years is acquiring first-round picks and with this trade, they can continue that trend. By making trades and acquiring draft picks, the Celtics have been able to get guys like Marcus Smart, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown over the years and they are always looking to add more, young talent through the draft.

While the Lakers’ first-round pick in 2021 is expected to be near the end of the first-round, it is still a valuable draft pick and could easily be leveraged in another trade for Boston. This pick would be Boston’s fourth draft pick in 2021, giving them plenty of options moving forward into next offseason of what to do with their roster. 

Given his injury past with his knees and given that they failed to make the NBA Finals yet again last year, parting ways with Kemba Walker now definitely gives Boston what they need to be successful this year. Even though he is an NBA All-Star talent, the Celtics need depth and trading away Walker gives them the depth they need to contend for a title immediately.