NBA Trades: B/R suggests Domantas Sabonis to the Boston Celtics

For years now, the Boston Celtics have been linked to the Indiana Pacers in trade rumors. It started in 2016 with Paul George and then turned to Myles Turner in 2019 and 2020.

Unfortunately, the Celtics haven’t been able to get a deal done. However, it’s almost 2022 and the Celtics’ front office is different now, led by President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens, who hasn’t hesitated to upgrade the team.

We’re going to see teams start being active in NBA trades pretty soon. It’s worth mentioning that with the alarming amount of players entering health and safety protocols, teams are going to be looking to add players that can keep them afloat while they wait to get healthy.

NBA Trades: B/R suggests Domantas Sabonis to the Boston Celtics

That said, Bleacher Report’s Greg Schwartz sees the Pacers as a team looking to retool rather than rebuild. To do so, Schwartz envisions the Pacers accepting the right trade negotiations for two-time All-Star, Domantas Sabonis.

"“If the Pacers end up trading one of their big men, you can bet it won’t be for a rebuild. Even when Indiana traded Paul George, it did so for Victor Oladipo and Sabonis, with no draft picks changing hands. If Sabonis is indeed unhappy in Indy, the Pacers will primarily seek win-now help in return.”"

It doesn’t come at a cheap price, however, the deal is intriguing for both sides. Schwartz sees this as a way for the Celtics to get a third star next to Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.

The deal would be to send Marcus Smart, Grant Williams, Romeo Langford, and a top-five protected 2022 draft pick to Indiana, with Sabonis being sent to Boston. However, as mentioned above, the deal only works if the Pacers view this as a trade that’ll help them retool and win now, which they should with a haul like this.

Schwartz continued by explaining why each player can help improve the Pacers.

"“Smart is still a bulldog of a defender, and Indiana could use his playmaking with backup point guard TJ McConnell likely done for the season following hand surgery. The Pacers are 14th in defense, even with all-world rim-protector Myles Turner. Having Smart and Turner in the same starting lineup could make them elite.”“Williams, 23, is good enough to take over the starting power forward job in Indiana with Sabonis gone and provides elite floor-spacing (45.3 percent from three) next to Turner. Langford is a former Indiana University star who’s also enjoying a career year from outside the arc (37.2 percent).”"

Why the Boston Celtics should trade for Domantas Sabonis

For the Boston Celtics, this is a chance to acquire the third star that they have long been waiting for. Sabonis is an All-Star and one of the best four-five combos in the league.

He’s one of the best passing big men in the game, joining forces with Robert Williams and Al Horford – who are also two of the better passing big men in the league.

The double-big lineup of Williams and Horford has worked out well this season for the Celtics’ starting group. The addition of Sabonis can only improve this feature of the team. In fact, it might actually be better for the team, as it gives the second unit a true big.

Obviously losing Smart hurts. However, this has been an ongoing debate for a while now. If Boston is able to maximize a return for Smart at this point in his career, then they absolutely should. The need for Smart to run the offense from the point guard position hasn’t worked out for the Celtics in the way they were hoping for this season.

Williams is having a career year and is arguably the best shooter on the Celtics this season. His feel for and understanding of the game for a young player has always been impressive – as well as his status as the Vice President of the NBAPA. However, there’s no way to tell if his success this season is something that’ll be consistent and consecutive throughout his career.

Adding a player with the prowesses of Sabonis will positionally balance out the Celtics. With the young players developing quickly – Payton Pritchard, Aaron Nesmith, and even Sam Hauser in Maine – the team is starting to evolve.

While the Boston Celtics are in this unique window with their franchise stars in Tatum and Brown, they need to be all-in on surrounding them with the necessary pieces to help propel the Celtics to the next level. Sabonis would be an excellent start to doing that.