The Celtics Bench Needs A Boost
The Celtics have opened up their season with a strong 8-2 record. Entering the year they were projected as one of the NBA title favorites and are playing as such. However, a concern with the team is their bench. Boston’s bench is currently averaging 24.6 points per game, which ranks 29th in the league out of 30, ahead of only the Philadelphia 76ers (22.1). Boston’s main reserves from last year are now on different teams (Malcolm Brogdon in Portland, and Grant Williams in Dallas), which left Payton Pritchard, Sam Hauser, and Al Horford to carry the second unit. Sam Hauser has come into his own this year and is averaging 9.6 Points Per Game while shooting an impressive 47.5% from three point range. While he has certainly had his moments this year, Hauser is not a true reliable option to score consistent points. Payton Pritchard has been disappointing this year even with an increased role, and Al Horford is starting to show his age and can’t play back to back games.
With the team being hard capped it is hard to picture them signing any current free agent. The best option for the Celtics to improve their bench comes from a trade, and a player the Celtics could use is Alex Caruso. Caruso, 29, currently plays on the Chicago Bulls. There are rumors that the Bulls are looking to trade Zach LaVine in what appears to be a sign of a rebuild for them. Selling Caruso could be in Chicago’s best interest if they are looking to start over and collect draft picks and young assets. For the season, Caruso is averaging 7.8 points on 59% shooting from the field and 44% from three in 23.6 minutes per game. He is widely known as a strong perimeter defender who can guard multiple positions and also knock down the 3 at a consistent rate, which fits the mold in today’s NBA.
Trading for Caruso could wind up being very beneficial for the Celtics in what they are trying to build. He would join Jrue Holiday and Derrick White in the Celtics backcourt as another defensive option who can shoot. The Celtics could use Caruso in different ways if they were to trade for him. The first being that they could start him next to Jrue Holiday as a role-playing starter for 20 minutes a night, which would push Derrick White to the bench, where he has played before. Starting Caruso would also mean more opportunities for Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Kristaps Porzingis, since Caruso would not demand shots and knows his role.
Having White come off the bench would give the team the playmaking option they have been in search for. It doesn’t sound appealing saying that White should come off the bench, but it could really benefit the team’s second unit, especially in terms of scoring off the bench. The team could start games with Caruso, and finish them with White. The second way the Celtics could use him would be as a role-playing bench option. In this case he would add defensive depth and be another 3 point option to come off the bench.
To do this trade it would start with the Celtics using their $6.2 Million Trade Exception from the Grant Williams trade this past summer. They would also have to add in salary to fit in to match close to Caruso’s contract ($9.4 million per year), which would mean trading players such as Luke Kornet ($2.2 Million), Oshae Brissett ($2.3 Million), Dalano Banton ($2.1 Million), or Svi Mykhailiuk ($2.3 Million). Chicago would likely ask for picks, where the C’s can send the Bulls a few of the second round picks that Boston acquired this past off-season.
Boston should do this deal to balance out their starting lineup and bench unit. Chicago should do this deal to take on expiring salary and future draft picks if they indeed decide to start a rebuild.
To read more from our intern Joe Celia check out BeerGardenSports
