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1 trade Celtics still must target in 2023 NBA offseason
One of the teams with the most activity during the NBA summer of 2023 is the Boston Celtics. Even though they made a ton of moves, the most important one is still pending since Jaylen Brown has not yet agreed to his supermax agreement with the Celtics. By the end of the month, it is hoped, he will be imprisoned, however there may be a trade in the works that is not being made public by the media.
In addition to the Brown extension, Boston was busy reorganizing their squad because Kristaps Porzingis was one of the major free-agent additions. The Celtics will have a whole new appearance next season as a result of signing Porzingis, which required them to part ways with Grant Williams and Marcus Smart, two rough riders. Boston will continue to tinker with the depth chart, but there are a few serious gaps that need to be filled before the stretch run.
They are without a traditional playmaker on their team as a result of losing Smart. Derrick White or Malcolm Brogdon will take turns playing that position, but it is unclear if it will be successful given their struggles with crunch time execution. After Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, the wing position is also thin, so Brad Stevens still has work to do. There is a likelihood that the Chicago Bulls will start the rebuilding process because there have been rᴜmors that Zach LaVine is available in trade talks. DeMar DeRozan will also be on the market, but Alex Caruso, the Boston Celtics’ defensive anchor and all-around handyman, is a better fit.
The core of the Celtics’ roster is already set, and Caruso is the ideal addition to complete the picture. Boston supporters wanted the front office to sign him last year, but Chicago refused to make him available. Before the start of the season, that might alter, and Boston must act quickly to seize the rare opportunity.
Caruso will follow Tatum and Brown off the bench, but there will be certain games where head coach Joe Mazzulla will start him in the final lineup. Caruso will be able to duplicate Smart’s contributions even if they just pay him less than $10 million because Smart gets paid close to $20 million. He has playoff and championship experience, so he understands how to fit in with a team that is committed to taking home the trophy every year. For Caruso to be effective, the ball does not need to be in his possession. His primary responsibility will be defense, which is vital for Boston because their defensive statistics have drastically declined ever since Ime Udoka left. Tatum, Brown, White, and Caruso form one of the league’s top on-ball defense units, making any team’s perimeter defense a challenge.
Even if Caruso quits in 2025, the wager will still be worthwhile because he has two more seasons left on his deal. He is a fantastic cutter and a high IQ off-ball mover on the offҽnsive end of the court, which are underappreciated skills that are useful for a star-studded team. Role players like Caruso may generate 8–10 points each game when the defense’s plans are concentrated on the main players by just using their exceptional basketball intelligence.
Caruso’s three-point shooting has improved, enabling him to make those crucial corner bombs as well. Boston must aggressively pursue him at this point in the offseason because his attitude and approach are what set him apart from the other trade candidates.