Examining Potential Trade Scenarios for the Celtics and Terry Rozier

After bursting onto the scene through the last part of the NBA season and through the NBA playoffs, the Boston Celtics may be looking to move former Card in the Pro, Terry Rozier, while the iron is hot.

One topic you are going to be hearing about over the next few weeks leading up to the 2018 NBA Draft is whether or not the Boston Celtics should trade blossoming star Terry Rozier. While many Louisville fans, and Celtics fan alike think that-that idea is preposterous, it’s something that will be discussed all the way up to the draft, past the draft if it doesn’t happen, and maybe even up to the NBA trade deadline in 2019.

Why would the Celtics trade a player who virtually carried them, along with Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, through three series that really no one expected them to win? I think there are several reasons if I’m being honest. Yes they were the two seed, but after losing star guard Kyrie Irving to a knee injury late in the season, nearly everyone had given up on the Celtics title hopes. Not to mention the team lost star free agent signing Gordon Hayward just two minutes into the NBA season with a devastating injury.

We are all familar with how things unfolded during the playoffs for  Scary Terry. The third year guard burst onto the scene in the playoffs, becoming a overnight sensation after for his “trolling” of  Milwaukee Bucks Eric Bledsoe, after he mistakenly referred to him as Drew Bledsoe, which seemed to ruffle the former Kentucky guard’s feathers in the process.

Rozier’s “Scary Terry” persona was a huge hit with Celtics fans, and of course Louisville fans (I even had to cop one) and just like that a star was born in Boston. With all that being said, it makes too much sense for the Boston Celtics to not trade him away, especially while the iron is hot.

Sports Illustrated’s Rohan Nadkarni put it perfectly when laying out the emergence of Terry Rozier, saying:

"“Rozier’s emergence quite truly could not have come at a better time for Boston. You probably read that cliché a lot, but the Celtics looked left for dead heading into the playoffs with both Kyrie Irving and Marcus Smart injured. It looked like some teams in the East were even jockeying backwards for playoff position so they could see Boston in the first round. Thanks in large part to Rozier, seeing the Celtics in Round 1 proved futile for the Bucks, who saw their pricey midseason acquisition Eric Bledsoe be thoroughly outplayed by the young Rozier.”"

When a player is in the final year of their contract, a team begins to examine whether or not it’s worth keeping the player, and extending a multi-year, multi-million dollar deal. Or if they should float that players name on the trading block and move that player for value, instead of losing him for nothing in free agency.

With the Celtics getting back Kyrie Irving, who is one of if not the best, point guards in the entire league, next season as well as developing Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown in their second and third years respectively, it makes sense that the Celtics would move Rozier. Once the beloved guard hits the free agent market next season, he is likely to command somewhere between $14-$16 million per year in the new salary cap format. The Celtics can absolutely keep Rozier for another year, but it is highly unlikely that they resign him to be a backup point guard, especially with backup guard Marcus Smart being a free agent this season.

While Terry Rozier meant to so much to the Celtics during their improbable run to the Eastern Conference Finals, they will likely never see the value of keeping him with a long term deal that they could get from moving him. We all know Scary Terry is one of the hottest names in the league, and now that he’s proved at the highest level that he can be a starting NBA point guard, teams should be chomping at the bit to acquire him.

Trying to find a trade that works for both parties was a bit more tricky than I thought when I set out to put this piece together. But I was able to come up with three “realistic” scenarios that could benefit the Celtics, Terry Rozier, as well as a trade partner.

To help us get a better idea of what the Celtics management might be thinking this offseason, our friends from FanSided’s Hardwood Houdini gave us their feedback.

Scary Terry Gets To Play for the Best Coach in the NBA

With everything that’s been going on between Spurs star forward Kawhi Leonard, and the team’s medical staff, it wouldn’t be shocking to see the multi-time all star moved this summer. While many NBA people will say no way, the run on trading stars in recent years likely won’t end this summer.

The Spurs will no doubt expect a top shelf offer for one of the NBA’s bright young stars. Though is quad injury has been labeled as “Concerning” I think the Celtics would make a move for Leonard without flinching. Though the Spurs start this deal asking for Jayson Tatum, and/or Jaylen Brown, there’s no way to make the money match.

More from Louisville Cardinals alumni

• Louisville football: Mekhi Becton ‘the most excited he’s ever been’
• Louisville basketball alumni: Edgar Sosa leads AI Naft to League Championship
• Louisville baseball alumni: Will Smith and Bobby Miller play pitch and catch in the big leagues
• Louisville football alum YaYa Diaby is “a load to handle,” good things to come for the Bucs
• Lamar Jackson Becomes Highest-Paid Player in NFL History

Therefore the Spurs getting Gordon Hayward, who was injured this past season on a freak play in the team’s opening game, and rising star Terry Rozier, along with some draft picks makes this deal doable.

The Spurs keep a “big 3” in LaMarcus Aldridge, Gordon Hayward, who should be able to return without issue in 2018-19, along with newly acquired Terry Rozier. Not only would Terry Rozier be replacing the legendary Manu Ginobili, who many expect to retire this offseason, he would also be the replacement for Tony Parker. Just like in Boston during the stretch of the postseason, the Spurs would be counting on Rozier to score in bunches.

Terry would give the Spurs a very good young point guard, who proved his worth in the playoffs, one they are unlikely to find elsewhere for his current price of $2 million a year. Not to mention pairing Rozier with legendary Head Coach Greg Popovich, who values toughness and a coachable player, both of which are characteristics of Rozier.

Hardwood Houdini’s Take: With the Spurs I don’t think this really works on either side. I haven’t really bought into all the hype that the Spurs are definitely going to move Kawhi, and I don’t think either team wants to change their franchise this much. If Rozier is getting traded it will be in a much smaller deal.

Scary Terry Time in Orlando

This is a trade possibility that fans in Orlando seem to be split over. Fresh off a breakout performance in the playoffs, Rozier is a player that a team like the Magic could target in an effort to get out of the NBA’s basement, a spot they’ve been for years.

It’s been circulating around the Twitter verse the last few days that the Celtics are extremely interested in moving up in this year’s draft in order to draft Mo Bamba, the 7’0 center with a 7’10 wingspan from Texas. In order to do so they would likely need to be in the top 6.

To think a guy who was drafted 16th overall and given an “F” draft grade could be a rebuilding piece is crazy when you think of the big picture, but we all witnessed what the third year pro was able to do in a full time starting role for the final month of the season. Rozier passed the eye test of being a very good NBA starting point guard, and with time and the right pieces could develop into a star.

Is giving up the sixth pick for a player with one year on their deal worth it? That is the question the new Magic front office and Head Coach Steve Clifford will have to answer, especially after what we saw happen to Isaiah Thomas when he was traded away from Brad Stevens and the Celtics. This draft is very good at the top, but can the Magic really get that much better from adding another project to their roster at #6?

Getting Terry Rozier and pairing him with Nikola Vucevic, Jonathan Isaac, last year’s first round pick, along with the Celtics 27th pick in this year’s draft, all could be good moves in terms of rebuilding. With Rozier, you’re getting a solid point guard, who is capable of scoring 20+ on any given night with the right opportunity, while also bringing elite rebounding at the guard position and defense/toughness to your team.

For Boston, Danny Ainge does what Danny Ainge does best, draft, develop, then make moves and trade for more pieces. While trading away Terry will hurt, getting another development player at the six spot who can play spot minutes or spend time in the G-League, and contribute in a few years when Boston really hits their stride, all on a rookie contract, could be huge. The Celtics desperately need another big man, and adding a guy like Mo Bamba could be enormous in the long run.

Hardwood Houdini’s Take: A deal with Orlando is something the Celtics would probably pounce on if it was offered up. Danny Ainge still loves his draft picks and if they are able to find someone willing to move a top pick, I could see something happening.

 Scary Terry Goes Hollywood

Most people will look at this deal and say “no way would Boston do that.” But honestly I think this is the perfect deal for both sides, and the most likely scenario of the three laid out.

As I mentioned before, Boston’s tough guy and primary defensive enforcer Marcus Smart is a free agent this offseason. Smart himself said this weekend that he believes he’s worth “more than $14 million,” in the open market (pshhhh, good luck bud). If Smart gets a contract anywhere near that value, it 100% won’t be from the Celtics, who are already paying a combined $79 million to their “big three.,” making a defensive guard a priority this offseason.

Look no further than the NBA’s most hated defender Patrick Beverly. Just like Smart, Beverly is known for playing in your face, renlentess, pesky, annoying, defense all the time. He’s the guy who players love to play with, but hate to play against. If you don’t believe me, just ask Lonzo Ball and Russell Westbrook.

Though Beverly missed the majority of his first season in LA with a knee injury, he is still a quality starting point guard in the NBA, and will be valued this offseason because of his cheap, expiring contract. If Smart were to leave Boston, Beverly would be the perfect replacement, and would bring a veteran voice to the young Celtics roster.

The Clippers would also hugely benefit from this deal as they look to begin to look at rebuilding for the first time in many years. Rozier would be the perfect player to begin building around, along with their two first round picks in June’s draft, after the team moved Blake Griffin this past season, and Chris Paul last offseason.

If you thought the Scary Terry brand couldn’t get anymore popular, imagine putting it in LA among the celebrities and personalities, and watch what happens. If Rozier continues his dominant play in LA, he could quickly become an NBA star.

Hardwood Houdini’s Take: In a deal with the Los Angeles Clippers, I don’t think it is enough for the Celtics. The Celtics have held onto Rozier for too long. If they lose him they keep Smart so they wouldn’t need Beverly, and picks that far in the future are too hard to trust.

We are fully aware that Big Red Louie is not an NBA website, and breaking down trades doesn’t do much for Cardnation. However, it was obvious that UofL fans quickly paid attention to the NBA as Donovan Mitchell and Terry Rozier dominated the headlines during the stretch run of the regular season and the playoffs.

What the Celtics decide to do with Rozier this offseason will be a headline that fans of both the NBA and the University of Louisville watch closely. The Celtics could move Rozier while his stock is sky high, or they could elect to keep him, and either extend him this offseason or let him test restricted free agency next year, all while continuing their run to an NBA Championship once fully healthy.

Next: Gorgui Dieng in Need of a Fresh Start

Louisville fans could soon catch on to how the NBA offseason works, and how it’s almost as entertaining as the NBA’s regular season, which is saying something.