It’s no secret that the Celtics need to commerce for a starting-caliber heart, being linked to names akin to Ivica Zubac, Daniel Gafford, and even a reunion with Robert Williams III. Nonetheless, a brand new identify has turn out to be the subject of conversion from a workforce that Boston has made a giant commerce with previously, Jaren Jackson Jr. of the Memphis Grizzlies. In response to Matt Moore of Hardwood Paroxysm on Substack, he says:
“The Boston Celtics would love so as to add Jaren Jackson Jr…But when Boston hundreds up a pick-heavy commerce bundle with some good expertise or tradeable contracts (Jordan Walsh, Hugo Gonzalez) for a Memphis workforce that might be beginning over, does that get them there? Is anybody going to beat that supply for Jaren? is Jaren’s worth higher in a 12 months beneath Iisalo and subsequent to Edey, or worse?“
The 26-year-old 2022-23 Defensive Participant of the 12 months is a two-time All-Star, two-time block champion, and a three-time All-Defensive Crew participant with profession averages 18.5 factors, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks on 47% capturing from the sector, 35% from three and 79% from the free throw line.
After averaging 22.2 factors in an All-Star marketing campaign final season, Jackson Jr. has regressed a little bit bit with averages of 18.5 factors, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks, however remains to be capturing 48% from the sector and 36% from three on a struggling Grizzlies workforce that appears to be shifting on from star Ja Morant. If Morant will get moved, it feels nearly sure that Jackson Jr. can be gone quickly after.
A commerce bundle for the Grizzlies huge man must begin out with the contracts of Anfernee Simons and Sam Hauser to match the cash. The contracts would even out if it was simply these two gamers, however I really feel the Grizzlies would really need at the least one in every of Hugo Gonzalez/Josh Minott/Jordan Walsh on prime of at the least two 1st spherical picks. In my thoughts, the commerce seems like this:
Grizzlies Obtain: Anfernee Simons, Sam Hauser, Hugo Gonzalez, 2026 1st Spherical Decide, 2030 1st Spherical Decide (choose swap).
Celtics Obtain: Jaren Jackson Jr.
This commerce sheds round $5.5 Million off of the books for the Celtics and offers them an elite participant on the heart. This commerce additionally works if you happen to substitute Hauser with Josh Minott and Jordan Walsh, however you get lots much less cap aid.
Jaren Jackson Jr. is a good participant and his ability set would match into the Joe Mazzulla’s system like a glove. JJJ could possibly be a souped-up model of what Kristaps Porzingis was on the Celtics over the past two seasons: a giant man who can present elite spacing for five-man out lineups and an elite rim protector on protection. This is able to vault the Celtics proper again into championship competition as quickly as this season, but additionally for the long run when Jayson Tatum is totally wholesome. Jackson signed a 5-year, $240 million extension in July of this season, so he will likely be beneath contract for a very long time.
There’s a probability the place they may have JJJ play the middle place which might give the Celtics a Pritchard-White-Brown-Tatum-JJJ beginning lineup. Or, they may go together with a jumbo-sized lineup that might transfer Tatum to the small ahead place and Jackson Jr. to the facility ahead, trying like White-Brown-Tatum-JJJ-Queta.
One among these lineups with the remainder of the depth on this roster is a championship degree roster that might compete with any powerhouse within the Western Convention in principle. Think about the jumbo lineup in relation to enjoying a workforce just like the Nuggets with Nikola Jokic or the Spurs with Victor Wembanyama. The switching protection with White on the level guard place would additionally look nice towards a workforce just like the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
One of many obtrusive flaws in JJJ’s sport is the truth that he’s not a very good rebounder in any respect. His 5.6 rebounds per sport is absolutely low for a beginning heart in immediately’s NBA and as Moore mentions, the Celtics have already got issues rebounding on the huge man place already:
“For the Celtics, he doesn’t handle their rebounding issues. They might nonetheless have to discover a long-term heart who can rebound to go subsequent to him (although the numbers are fairly good with Queta).”
The addition of Jayson Tatum might assist in the rebounding division, however there’s additionally the difficulty with the match. Jackson Jr. does lots of scoring in isolation and has been the number one choice lots of instances with the Grizzlies when Ja Morant has been out with damage. Would he be keen to sacrifice a few of his stats and be the third choice behind Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown? His on/off numbers even have him as a -2.7 on the Grizzlies to this point this season which isn’t nice. A few of that could possibly be because of the workforce round him or is it an absence of effort?
One other huge drawback with Jackson Jr. is that he will get right into a foul hassle lots, averaging 3.8 private fouls per sport this season, hindering Memphis’ protection. In 37 video games this season, he has completed in foul hassle in 12, whereas fouling out in 4 of them. Would the Celtics have the ability to get his fouling subject beneath management?
JJJ’s contract may be a difficulty for Boston as he’s making $49 Million in 2027, $50.5M in 2028, $52M in 2029, and $53.5M in 2030. Do the Celtics need to throw themselves again into the second apron with three huge contracts of Brown, Tatum, and Jackson Jr.?
I feel the positives actually outweigh the negatives on this case. If an affordable supply is on the desk for JJJ, I feel Brad Stevens and the Celtics ought to pull the set off. This commerce feels much like after they acquired Derrick White within the 2022 season — a mid-season commerce for a man who matches the system and is beneath contract to contribute for years to return.
Relating to his deficiencies, the Celtics improvement workers has additionally proven unimaginable strides in relation to growing huge males of their system. Take a look at their success tales with Luke Kornet, Neemias Queta, and even Luka Garza. I think about Joe Mazzulla and the Celtics teaching workers might unlock one other degree that might make him an ideal match on this workforce.
Stretch bigs simply getting into their prime like JJJ don’t come alongside in commerce talks fairly often and the final time Boston had a participant with an identical ability set alongside Brown and Tatum, they gained a championship.
