The Brooklyn Nets and New Orleans Pelicans emerge as potential trade partners for the Boston Celtics, who continue their attempts to further improve the team's lineup.
It is no secret that the Celtics are still looking for pieces that could speed up their process of getting back into contention. While Celtics general manager Danny Ainge is reportedly looking for major trades, there are other possible options Boston could explore.
A report from SB Nation's Celtics Blog suggested that Boston could be a trade partner for the Brooklyn Nets and New Orleans Pelicans, with Bojan Bogdanovic and Tyreke Evans as potential targets.
The Nets are once again on course for another disappointing season, with the team dwelling at the bottom of the power rankings. Given the Nets' current state, they could certainly consider getting back some draft picks necessary for their rebuild.
Bogdanovic, who is averaging 14.2 per game this season, would be a decent acquisition for the Celtics. The 27-year-old shooting guard is a career 36.5 percent shooter from beyond the arc, and would help address the Celtics' need of an outside threat.
On the other hand, Evans would also upgrade the Celtics' roster, although his history of injuries make him a risky target for Boston. Evans, who has career averages of 16.7 points and 6.6 assists a game, had three surgeries in nine months and has yet to appear on a regular season game for the Pelicans. But when in full health, Evans can provide spark on both ends of the floor.
"Evans is red-flagged because of his knee, but he's a nifty player that could serve as a backup wing in an Evan Turner role for 20-25 minutes a night," reports SB Nation.
Any potential deals would likely include the likes of Amir Johnson, Kelly Olynyk and Marcus Smart. Johnson's expiring contract would make him a realistic candidate, while Olynyk and Smart have both been linked to trade rumors in the past few months.
Bogdanovic (restricted) and Evans (unrestricted) are set to explore free agency next summer, which could make them a potential one-year rental for the Celtics. Nevertheless, trading for Bogdanovic or Evans could be a viable option if Boston misses out on the bigger fishes in the market.
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