Adrian Wojnarowski says Celtics are unwilling to trade ‘core wing players’

Adrian Wojnarowski says Celtics are unwilling to trade ‘core wing players’



The NBA insider believes the Celtics' options at center are "better than really anything that's available to them in the marketplace."




Jayson Tatum and Gordon Hayward in December, 2019. Jayson Tatum and Gordon Hayward in December, 2019. –Jim Davis


By Hayden Bird
Boston.com Staff
8:57 AM



The Celtics defeated the Mavericks on Wednesday night in Dallas, 109-103. Kemba Walker led Boston with 32 points. The team will be back at TD Garden on Friday night to face the Pistons at 7:30 p.m.

The Bruins face the Islanders at home tonight. The puck drops at 7 p.m.

And the Patriots face the Bills on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. in a vital AFC East matchup.

The latest Celtics trade rumors: With the Celtics currently sitting second in the Eastern Conference, speculation has already begun over what the team could add in a trade.

On Wednesday, ESPN NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski weighed in, explaining that Gordon Hayward and fellow “core wing players” aren’t currently on the trading block.


“They could certainly use a veteran center at that position with Joel Embiid in the East, [and] Marc Gasol,” said Wojnarowski, “but Boston’s not willing to give up any of their core wing players. And right now the Celtics, with kind of the three-headed monster they have at center is better than really anything that’s available to them in the marketplace.”

Wojnarowski singled out one Celtics center in particular.

“Robert Williams has been a revelation in his second season, their first-round pick last year,” Wojnarowski explained. “His agent, Kevin Bradbury, tells me [Williams] is going to get reevaluated in a couple of weeks. He’s got an inflamed hip. They’re waiting to hear from one more specialist. But Williams is a player that Boston — not just for the short term, but the long term — has a chance to have great staying power at that center position.”

Williams was selected by Boston with the 27th pick in the 2018 NBA draft.


bob



.

bobheckler wrote:




Adrian Wojnarowski says Celtics are unwilling to trade ‘core wing players’



The NBA insider believes the Celtics' options at center are "better than really anything that's available to them in the marketplace."




Jayson Tatum and Gordon Hayward in December, 2019. Jayson Tatum and Gordon Hayward in December, 2019. –Jim Davis


By Hayden Bird
Boston.com Staff
8:57 AM



The Celtics defeated the Mavericks on Wednesday night in Dallas, 109-103. Kemba Walker led Boston with 32 points. The team will be back at TD Garden on Friday night to face the Pistons at 7:30 p.m.

The Bruins face the Islanders at home tonight. The puck drops at 7 p.m.

And the Patriots face the Bills on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. in a vital AFC East matchup.

The latest Celtics trade rumors: With the Celtics currently sitting second in the Eastern Conference, speculation has already begun over what the team could add in a trade.

On Wednesday, ESPN NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski weighed in, explaining that Gordon Hayward and fellow “core wing players” aren’t currently on the trading block.


“They could certainly use a veteran center at that position with Joel Embiid in the East, [and] Marc Gasol,” said Wojnarowski, “but Boston’s not willing to give up any of their core wing players. And right now the Celtics, with kind of the three-headed monster they have at center is better than really anything that’s available to them in the marketplace.”

Wojnarowski singled out one Celtics center in particular.

“Robert Williams has been a revelation in his second season, their first-round pick last year,” Wojnarowski explained. “His agent, Kevin Bradbury, tells me [Williams] is going to get reevaluated in a couple of weeks. He’s got an inflamed hip. They’re waiting to hear from one more specialist. But Williams is a player that Boston — not just for the short term, but the long term — has a chance to have great staying power at that center position.”

Williams was selected by Boston with the 27th pick in the 2018 NBA draft.


bob



.

All sounds good to me.

And, oh yeah... Go Bills!

Our 5 core guys are too valuable to move because of the team's long term strategy to be competitive.

Too many teams become impatient and are ready to pull the trigger too soon.

Danny almost fell into this trap.  The AD courtship would have taken away Smart and Brown and picks.  Smart has turned into the most indispensable player on this team and Jaylen Brown is a full blown bad ass.  

We do not have a 20/10 guy in the middle but we do have diversity at center to use in any given situation.

We do have future draft assets that provide flexibility.

I love our roster, we can attack and defend so many different ways.

You couldn’t play 3 tiny points together or 3 lumbering bigs together at the same time, just doesn’t work, but to have 3 talented wings that can score and initiate for each other and cover perimeter and rebound inside all works. Versatility is our strength, we can attack so many mismatches as it’s hard to match up with all our wings....

Cow

It is highly unusual to have 3 multi-positional wings that can all score at 3 levels, defend and rebound the basketball and share the rock.

Add to that a top 10 PG and perhaps the most gifted defensive player in the NBA and you have yourself a core that is excellent.

Kemba a top 10 PG or a top 5 PG? What say you?

I'd say Kemba is on a par with Kyrie - way better on D, better for team chem, and only 3 points less at most in offensive production. Plus Kemba stays on the court. Kyrie is too often injured.

Who else plays PG in the NBA?
Bucks have no one better.
Toronto has no one better IMHO.
Pacers - with Oladipo out? No
Heat - No
76ers - Simmons is better. Yes but not as a scorer and not in the clutch. Not at all in the clutch.
Wiz - with Wall hurt? No
Charlotte - definitely NO
ATL - no, but Trey is cool
Magic - Markelle? NO
Pistons - Derrick Rose I like a lot - but he's no 30+ minute player, despite having a very fine
             season
Bulls - NOPE
Cavs - No

So Kemba is one of the top two PG's in the East.

Who wants to debate the Western conference PG's with me?
Dallas - Luka is better. Yes
Denver - Murray is good, but not as good as Kemba
OKC - Chris Paul? - not anymore, and he'll break down sooner or later
Minnie - No
Portland - Damian - Yes
Jazz - Mike Conley - Yes - 10 years ago - not now
      - Donovan - yes/TOSSUP - he's really a 2 with 25.6 ppg. 4.7 RBpg and 3.7
          ASTpg
      - Kemba has 23.5 ppg, 4.3 rbpg, and 5.2 ASTpg - plus he draws charges - ergo TOSSUP
GSW, Clips, Kings, Lakers - NO
Suns - Booker  - Yes, but not by much. Certainly not as good a leader
Pels - Jrue i- No - damn good on O and D - but Kemba is a much better shooter/scorer -
 Here's a link to their head to head matchup:
          https://stats.nba.com/vs/#!/?PlayerID=201950&VsPlayerID=202689
Spurs - Nope
Grizz- in a couple of years Ja Morant, but not yet
Rockets - Harden and Westbrook - Yes and Yes


So I'd place Kemba among the top 8 pg's in the NBA.

worcester wrote:
So I'd place Kemba among the top 8 pg's in the NBA.

OK. I'm sold.

And that's a very quiet 8th. I'll take that too, NYCelt.

db

Donovan, Booker and Harden are not Point Guards.

To me, Kemba is top 5 easy.

-Lillard
-Irving
-Doncic
-Westbrook
-Walker

Donovan, Booker and Harden are not Point Guards.

Correct sir.

Yes, Kemba is definitely a top 5 PG. Top 4 if you consider Irving MIA.