NBA Rumors: Boston Celtics To Trade R.J. Hunter Or James Young

R.J. Hunter is one and done with the Boston Celtics. One of the NBA rumors floating around is that the Boston Celtics are seeking a trade partner in an effort to get value for their shooting guard. If the Celtics can find a taker, expect a deal to happen quickly.

One season after being taken by the Boston Celtics in the second round of the NBA draft, R.J. Hunter looks to be on the move. The Celtics pondering trading R.J. Hunter is more realistic compared to many of the NBA rumors that have circulated during the past couple of weeks.

There is a battle for the last spot on the Celtics’ roster, and the last spot has come down to two players. The candidates for the final position on the team are R.J. Hunter and James Young. If the Celtics had their way, they would keep both Hunter and Young. Both are shooting guards. Hunter is the better shooter, while Young is more athletic and a crafty defender.

A clock has started for the Boston Celtics to make a decision. The Celtics have until Monday afternoon to submit their final roster to the NBA headquarters. Which means the Celtics must trade one or the other prior to submitting the roster.

Another option that the Boston Celtics have is to place one of them on waivers. Doing so would mean that either R.J. Hunter or James Young would have to clear waivers before the Celtics can send one of them to their NBA Developmental League affiliate, the Maine Red Claws. The Celtics do not believe that either Hunter or Young would clear waivers. That leaves the exploration of a trade as the only viable choice for the Boston Celtics.

According to the Boston Globe, the Celtics are actively seeking a trade for either R.J. Hunter or James Young. It is reported that the Boston Celtics are hoping to obtain a second-21round pick in return.

Per the NBA rumors, it is likely R.J. Hunter will be the player on the move. Although, according to MassLive, Celtics’ president of basketball operations Danny Ainge has maintained that nothing has been decided just yet.

“We’re really not (leaning one way or another). We’re continuing to evaluate and look for opportunities out there if there are any deals to be had – which we’ve been looking for for a few months. So we knew that this situation would present itself, or was the most likely scenario to happen when camp started. So both of those guys have played very well, and have made the decision very difficult.”

Keep in mind that R.J. Hunter is a jump shooter. And jump shooters are difficult to find at this early stage. Under most circumstances, the Boston Celtics would have an easy time trading him. But because rosters have to be set in less than 24 hours, that will limit the teams who may reach out to them.

Three teams would be obvious choices as possible trade partners with the Celtics. The Chicago Bulls, Dallas Mavericks, and Philadelphia 76ers could all use a player like R.J. Hunter. Each team needs a shooter and have questions throughout their roster.

If the Bulls had not pulled the trigger on a trade for Michael Carter-Williams a week ago, they would be an ideal landing spot for Hunter. Adding Carter-Williams originally put the Bulls’ roster at 15, while making them full in the backcourt. Even with all of the guards, the Bulls need shooters.

To ease things a bit, the Bulls waived guard Spencer Dinwiddie on Friday, according to NBA.com. It could signal an effort for the Bulls to try and get Hunter from the Boston Celtics. The Bulls no longer have to waive or trade a player. Keeping Dinwiddie would have created an over-complicated situation for the Bulls if they were to offer the Celtics a second-round pick. So, do not rule the Bulls out as a trade partner for the Celtics.

The Mavericks need younger players, period. If the Dallas Mavericks want to make some hay in the Western Conference, they will have to add some youth to compete with the Golden State’s and Portland’s of the west. Inserting R.J. Hunter helps the Mavericks do so. Plus, the Mavericks giving up a second-round pick to the Celtics would not hurt them much. They rarely keep draft picks anyway.

R.J. Hunter teaming up with Seth Curry would be an interesting match.

Report: @Celtics offering James Young or R.J. Hunter for second-round pick, per @WojVerticalNBA https://t.co/xXyvBi2Yau

— NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSBoston) October 21, 2016

In Philadelphia, the backcourt needs shooters and versatility. The 76ers have as unbalanced a roster as any team in the past few seasons. The question here is would the Celtics work a trade with the 76ers after having previous trade overtures denied?

As for James Young, again the Dallas Mavericks need youth. Adding a former first-round pick for a future second-rounder could be an enticing prospect. There could be a match one way or another between the Boston Celtics and Dallas Mavericks.

Is R.J. Hunter one and done with the Boston Celtics?

Is James Young on his way out in Boston?

The Boston Celtics have to either trade R.J. Hunter or James Young prior to submitting their opening day roster to the NBA front office. According to the NBA rumors circulating, the Celtics are reportedly seeking a second-round pick for either Hunter or Young. If a trade cannot be completed by the Celtics, they would be forced to waive one of them. Chances are that neither R.J. Hunter or James Young would clear waivers.

The Boston Celtics are back on the clock.

[Featured Image by Michael Reaves/Getty Images]