NBA Rumors: Celtics Could Trade Terry Rozier To Phoenix For Okobo, Daniels & Draft Pick, Per ‘Bleacher Report’
The Phoenix Suns entered the 2018-19 NBA season without a starting caliber point guard on their roster. Since losing Brandon Knight in an offseason trade with the Houston Rockets, the Suns have been active on the market, finding a new playmaker that they could pair with Devin Booker in their backcourt. One of the Suns’ top trade targets is Terry Rozier of the Boston Celtics.
According to Adam Fromal of Bleacher Report, the deal that would send Terry Rozier to the Suns is one of the blockbuster trades NBA fans want to see this season. Last season, Rozier was one of the young players who led the Celtics to the Eastern Conference finals where they forced a Game 7 against LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers despite not having a healthy Kyrie Irving or Gordon Hayward on their roster. Unfortunately, now that Irving is healthy again, Celtics Head Coach Brad Stevens was left with no choice but to move Rozier back to the bench.
With his impending free agency, Terry Rozier’s future in Boston remains uncertain. As a restricted free agent, the Celtics will only need to match offers from other NBA teams just to bring him back. However, the Celtics’ No. 1 priority next summer is re-signing Irving. As of now, the Celtics are still hesitant to trade Rozier since they see him as an insurance if Irving suffers another season-ending injury.
However, as Fromal noted, the Celtics could change their mind about trading Terry Rozier if Brad Wanamaker and Marcus Smart continue their impressive play this season. Fromal believes that a trade package including Troy Daniels, Elie Okobo, and an unprotected 2019 first-round pick may convince the Celtics to trade Rozier to Phoenix.
“If Brad Wanamaker impresses as a 29-year-old rookie while Marcus Smart continues to showcase some shooting improvements, Rozier could be that much more expendable—expendable enough that a package built around Troy Daniels, Elie Okobo and an unprotected first-round pick might get the job done. The Celtics, also parting with Semi Ojeleye for salary-matching purposes, would keep building for the present and future in simultaneous fashion. Phoenix would gain access to a potential franchise 1-guard whose presence would help complete the rebuilt core.”
According to multiple league sources, the Celtics and Terry Rozier will not agree to an extension prior to Monday’s deadline. https://t.co/oXnLhyq9MQ pic.twitter.com/g0Ybp3VQem
— Adam Himmelsbach (@AdamHimmelsbach) October 12, 2018
Terry Rozier will be an incredible addition to the Suns, giving them a starting caliber point guard who fits the timeline of Devin Booker. Though they are not a legitimate title contender like the Celtics, the Suns could give Rozier more playing time and a significant role which could help him speed up his development into a legitimate superstar in the league. Even if they fail to acquire him before the February NBA trade deadline, Rozier could be on the Suns’ radar when free agency hits next July.
