Don’t look now, but the Boston Celtics are quietly surging even after a slow start to the season and having an overhauled roster. They traded Kristaps Porzingis and let Al Horford and Luke Kornet leave in free agency to ensure flexibility going forward.
Unfortunately for them, Kornet has thrived in his new home with the San Antonio Spurs. Despite being a backup during his time in Boston in his four seasons, he has been called out as a key rotation player, even starting 17 games thus far this season.
Whether it is starting or coming after the bench, Kornet has had a massive impact. His elite rebounding, sturdy screen setting, and knack for rolling to the basket have been a huge help on an up-and-coming Spurs team.
Luke Kornet is an advanced stats star for the Spurs
He has even garnered the nickname “French vanilla” when paired with star Victor Wembanyama. He has even started over Wembanyama, who is on a minutes restriction, but San Antonio didn’t miss a beat with Kornet starting.
They just beat the Oklahoma City Thunder three times, including two blowout wins, with Kornet starting. He held up surprisingly well against the Thunder’s physicality and did a terrific job keeping Shai Gilgeous-Alexander out of the paint and off the line.
No doubt that the Celtics wish that they could have held onto him, but the Spurs were able to outbid them due to cap constraints. The Celtics have managed to play surprisingly well after dismissing their entire center rotation, all things considered.
Even so, they will likely look to upgrade at center ahead of the trade deadline. Fortunately for them, they have plenty of potential trade targets.
The Boston Celtics are still looking for a starting center
Dallas Mavericks center Daniel Gafford would be an intriguing one considering that he is on an affordable contract. One that will pay him far less than a typical starter for the next three seasons.
He is also a solid defender, rebounder, and lob threat on offense. With the Mavericks potentially having a fire sale, he could be available at an affordable price.
Other options include Chicago Bulls center Nikola Vucevic, who is arguably the best offensive big man potentially available. He is also on an expiring contract, meaning that they could potentially get him for cheaper, and his age at 35 could further bring his price down.
He may not hold up defensively in the playoffs, but he could help boost the Celtics’ offensive ceiling, helping them get there.
Perhaps the best trade target for Boston would be Milwaukee Bucks center Myles Turner. If star Giannis Antetokounmpo demands to be traded, then the Bucks could decide to move on from Turner as well. He has three years remaining on his contract.
And while he is slightly overpaid, he’d make plenty of sense in Boston given his shot blocking and 3-point shooting. If that were to happen, then the Celtics will quickly forget about Kornet and Porzingis by upgrading their center position while getting younger too.
