Celtics land the last big fish in the last-minute trade market
Brad Stevens and the Boston Celtics have made a major move just before the start of the season.
As first dropped by ESPN’s The Celtics are trading Robert Williams, Malcolm Brogdon, 2024 GSW 1st, 2029 unprotected BOS first to the Blazers, sources tell ESPN. https://t.co/gx53jyH1RG
Holiday, 33, is a two-time All-Star coming off a season in which he averaged 19.3 points, 5.1 rebounds, 7.4 assists, 1.2 steals, and 47.9 shooting from the field as a starter for the Milwakuee Bucks. He had previously been traded to the Blazers in a package for guard Damian Lillard, a move that positioned the Bucks as a top contender in the Eastern Conference, if not the favorite to make the NBA Finals.
Stevens also traded longtime Celtics point guard Marcus Smart to the Memphis Grizzlies in a three-team deal that brought big man Kristaps Porzingis to Boston from the Washington Wizards. The addition of Holiday gives the C’s a projected starting five of Holiday, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, Porzingis, and Al Horford. That group can stack up against any other starting five in the league.
The collective trades do not come without risk and potential downsides. Horford is 37 years old, and the oft-injured Porzingis dealt with plantar fasciitis in the off-season. Luke Kornet is the only other traditional big on the roster after them.
Stevens may not be done making last-minute moves before the start of the 2023-24 season, which is still 24 days away on Oct. 25. The Celtics president of basketball ops still has plenty of time to find a potential deal to add frontcourt depth, and they will almost certainly need it at some point.
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Celtics reportedly add veteran on one-year deal
Mar 28, 2023; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Hornets guard Svi Mykhailiuk (10) and guard James Bouknight (2) talk during a time out against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the second quarter at Paycom Center. (Alonzo Adams-USA TODAY Sports)
Signed out of training camp by the Knicks last fall, the 6-foot-7 Mykhailiuk made 13 appearances for New York in 2022-23 before the Knicks shipped him to Portland in the Josh Hart trade. The Blazers then immediately rerouted Mykhailiuk to the Hornets in a separate trade.
In Charlotte, Mykhailiuk certainly appeared to show a little something something in what was an obviously limited sample size, with a career-best 10.6 points per game and 44.1 field goal percentage (40.4 percent from three-point range) in 19 games.
Mykhailiuk, who broke into the league in 2018 as a second-round pick of the Lakers, also averaged a career-high 2.7 assists per game during that 19-game run with Charlotte.
Mar 23, 2023; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard Svi Mykhailiuk (17) during warms ups before the game against the New Orleans Pelicans at Smoothie King Center. (Stephen Lew/USA TODAY Sports)
A veteran of 252 games between six different franchises since 2018, Mykhailiuk appears to be your classic off-the-bench wing scorer who can chip in with the occasional three pointer and give you an effort on defense.
Given Mykhailiuk’s notably small wingspan for a guy his size, the scoring would seemingly be his priority in Boston, and could be a need for the Celtics in 2023-24 based on what they couldn’t get from their bench during the 2023 playoffs, namely when the Heat bench would come into the game and provide Miami with a clear lift.
The Celtics could be hoping that they’re buying in on Mykhailiuk’s ‘prime’ as a three-point threat at this level, as he’s coming to Boston on the heels of a career-high percentage mark on that front.
Mar 28, 2023; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard Svi Mykhailiuk (10) drives to the basket against Oklahoma City Thunder guard Isaiah Joe (11) during the first quarter at Paycom Center. (Alonzo Adams-USA TODAY Sports)
The Ukrainian-born wing will of course have to make the team, but there’s definitely some natural comfort in a veteran option over a two-way talent, and Mykhailiuk is certainly that.
His signing does still leave the Celtics with an open roster spot for the 2023-24 season, too, should they follow through and add a player they’ve worked out or invite Blake Griffin to return for another run with the C’s.
Celtics training camp is expected to fire up training camp on Oct. 3, while the Celtics will kick off a five-game preseason slate beginning Oct. 8 and running through Oct. 19.
