Latest NBA trade rumors have emerged that the Boston Celtics could trade Al Horford, Jayson Tatum, and a first-round draft pick to the New Orleans Pelicans in exchange for All-Star center Anthony Davis.
One speculation was mentioned in a WEEI podcast by Michael Holley and Rich Keefe on Friday. The podcast said that the recent Anthony Davis trade rumors “has been the topic of conversations” online and even in radio shows.
Holley and Keefe particularly noted the Celtics’ rumored desire to trade for the four-time NBA All-Star, saying that the rumors are “real” and “spectacular.” The duo then revealed the potential asking price of the Pelicans: veteran big man Horford, super rookie Tatum, and a 2018 first-rounder.
The podcast said that giving up a first-round pick would be “fine” for the Celtics because the team has a lot of it in their possession at the moment. Meanwhile, Horford is said to be a fair replacement for Davis as Boston would need to include a “big salary” to match that of the former All-Star Game MVP’s, plus the two play the same position for both squads.
Horford is considered as a “perfect fit” for Celtics head coach Brad Stevens’ system. However, the opportunity to get Davis, which was said to be a “younger and better” version of Horford, would be too good to miss for Boston.
The issue, though, is including Tatum in the deal. The 2017 third overall pick has been playing well for the Celtics this season.
Tatum is currently averaging 13.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 1.0 steals in 30.5 minutes per game. He has played all 23 games for the Celtics this season so far and has been a key contributor for Stevens.
The duo said that giving up Tatum would be “difficult” for the Celtics because of his current role and the potential he has shown for Boston. They then said that sophomore Jaylen Brown, last year’s No. 3 pick, would be a more tolerable part of the trade instead of Tatum.
Even so, Brown is also no pushover. The former California standout actually has better numbers than Tatum with averages of 15.0 points, 6.1 boards, 1.2 assists, and 1.1 steals in 31.8 minutes a night.
Ultimately, this is said to be a win-win situation for both squads. Whether it be Tatum or Brown, the Pelicans are expected to get a key building block for the future, especially with an additional first-round pick, while also remaining competitive with the acquisition of Horford.
Meanwhile, the Celtics’ starting lineup becomes much stronger next season with Davis, Tatum or Brown, Gordon Hayward, and Kyrie Irving. The duo agreed that it does not matter which is the fifth starter for Stevens. As long as Boston successfully lands Davis, the team is set to have one of the most intimidating starting lineups in the NBA.
