Why this trade makes sense for the Boston Celtics
Daniel Theis is currently averaging 9.2 points and 4.9 rebounds and Robert Williams is averaging 7.1 points and 6.0 rebounds. Not to mention, both guys have been getting more and more playing time over the last few weeks as a result of their production on the court, which is the main reason why Tristan Thompson’s name has come up in trade rumors.
Thompson is not a high-impact player and while he can be a physical and strong rebounder, there is more upside to be had for the Celtics by playing Robert Williams and Daniel Theis more than they already are. Williams is one of the most efficient players on the Celtics’ roster and with him beginning to emerge as a threat in the paint on both ends of the court, Boston should look to get him as much playing time as possible.
Trading away Tristan Thompson does just this and getting Aron Baynes in return acts as an “insurance policy” for the Celtics should Williams or Theis get injured. Adding Terence Davis however is definitely a significant add and a key role player that could really aid them in their second-unit.
We mentioned before that the Celtics do not have much bench depth on their roster, but they especially do not have much scoring depth in their backcourt. Veteran guard Jeff Teague has not really been a factor this year and rookie Payton Pritchard seems to be their best scorer, which is why adding Terence Davis could be a big move.
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Davis has seen about 15 minutes per game this year with the Raptors, but he has made the most of his opportunities, averaging 7.0 points, 2.0 rebounds and shooting 36.4% from three-point range. His high motor and natural scoring abilities makes him a player that could really make a difference for Boston off-the-bench and potentially emerge as a great second-unit scorer for them.
The Celtics have really nothing to lose by trading away Tristan Thompson, as they have the frontcourt depth to replace him, which is why this trade with the Raptors could bring them a ton of value.
