In one of the deals on his NBA Trade Block Big Board, Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley sent Pascal Siakam to the Dallas Mavericks for signed-and-traded former Boston Celtics big man Grant Williams, Josh Green, Jaden Hardy, Richaun Holmes, a 2025 second-round pick (via TOR), and a 2026 first-round pick.
For the Mavs, the draw of Siakam would be going all in on a new Big Three of Siakam, Luka Doncic, and Kyrie Irving according to Buckley.
“If the Mavs are convinced that Kyrie Irving is the right sidekick for Luka Dončić, they might want to scramble to find a third star and potentially put this club on a championship path,” Buckley wrote. “Siakam could be perfect for the gig, since he would be a dynamic screen partner with either guard and could initiate offense when one or both takes a seat. He’s also an impact defender who can survive switches against players of nearly all sizes and styles.”
Williams and the rest of the Toronto Raptors-bound haul would become complementary pieces to Scottie Barnes up north in Buckley’s scenario.
“The Raptors, meanwhile, should now be focused on making Barnes’ life easier, and this trade could do that in myriad ways,” Buckley prefaced before saying, “Williams and Green could fill three-and-D roles around him, Hardy packs a powerful scoring punch, and the picks could yield more keepers. Holmes would merely make the money work, but he could soak up minutes at center if needed.”
Another of Buckley’s proposals on his NBA Trade Block Big Board features two former Celtics players, each being sent away over the past three summers, dealt for each other; with Malcolm Brogdon becoming the next New York Knicks splash in exchange for Evan Fournier and several Portland Trail Blazers-bound draft picks.
What do all these deals involving former Cs mean? Well, it could mean that the players are tough fits for most locker rooms; though both Brogdon and Fournier were multi-year fits with the Milwaukee Bucks and Indiana Pacers, and Orlando Magic, respectively, so that’s not likely.
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It definitely points to the post-Boston fit for both being rough. Considering the Celtics’ ensuing success, it’s fair to say the Cs are a factory of winning in the President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens era.
