In a recent article full of trade proposals for every team in the NBA to get rid of their “worst” contract by Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley, the Boston Celtics’ worst deal is the two-year, $53.5 million owed veteran big man Al Horford in the eyes of the B/R analyst.
We have to say that if that is the Celtics’ worst contract, they are doing pretty well given Horford put up numbers more or less in line with what he has managed throughout his career while shooting a career-best 36.8% on volume 3-pointers. There’s been a little slippage with age to be sure, but given — as Buckley notes — the deal is only guaranteed for $41.5 million, it’s a “problem” the Celtics won’t likely mind too much.
But supposing they did?
For Buckley, Celtics South — also known as the Charlotte Hornets — would be a solid trade partner, with the B/R writer envisioning a deal that would unite Horford with former teammates Terry Rozier and Gordon Hayward. The deal would revolve around more traditional center Mason Plumlee and Kelly Oubre, Jr. with another young player added to match salaries. https://twitter.com/TheCelticsWire/status/1434834074502406147?s=20
There is an argument to be made in shifting some of the salary that is Horford’s contract to the wing without losing all of the Florida product’s skills in the process (Plumlee can move the ball well for a big though he has no real away-from-the-basket game). But given Oubre’s mediocre shooting and limited ability to help Boston in a meaningful way some other way (and losing that flexibility Horford’s partially-guaranteed final season provides) has us politely passing on the offer. This post originally appeared on Celtics Wire. Follow us on Facebook! [lawrence-related id=57737,57743,57733,57714] [listicle id=57747]
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