As the 2016 NBA Draft is only two days away, the trade rumor mill is rife with news about the Boston Celtics and their efforts to trade their pick.
On the other hand, the Brooklyn Nets, the team they acquired the draft pick from, wants to buy themselves a draft pick, and they may have to deal with Danny Ainge again to get this done.
This is according to Nothin But Nets, a Brooklyn Nets blog from Sports Illustrated. Writer Jay Siskin proposed to send their veteran power forward Thaddeus Young to the Boston Celtics for Terry Rozier, Amir Johnson and the 16th overall pick (Boston Celtics' own).
The Celtics are open to trading their picks as their roster is already filled with young talent as it is. Thaddeus Young is a proven veteran even in his time with the Philadelphia 76ers and he is a stretch-four who can space the floor with his ability to knock down spot up jumpers. Siskin noted that in 2015-16, "Brooklyn had a 100 offensive-rating with him off the floor and when he was on the floor their offensive rating was 105.8."
Rozier and Johnson are expendable as the Celtics have the luxury of trading quantity for quality. While they have been rumored to pursue other high profile power forwards and centers like DeMarcus Cousins, Kevin Love and Blake Griffin, they might settle for a more realistic target.
In this trade, Boston still gets to keep some of its top trade assets like the 3rd overall pick (Brooklyn's own), Jae Crowder and Marcus Smart. According to different trade rumors, these are the players that most teams would demand if they traded with Ainge.
For the Nets, they simply need more talent and they don't have the avenues to acquire them. They don't have a draft pick and with the 16th pick, they can still get decent talent.
According to Chad Ford's latest mock draft at ESPN Insider, the Celtics could pick Deyonta Davis, a forward from Michigan State, but there's still some talent on the board like Malachi Richardson, Denzel Valentine, Malik Beasley or even Thon Maker.
Boston is already impatient and they want to cash in on their trade assets. The Nets have to rebuild with the cards they're dealt. Although the Nets would not be too excited to call Danny Ainge again, this is simply a transaction that makes sense for both parties.