When looking at the Boston Celtics‘ current roster, it’s clear that they’re a little thin at the guard position.
Currently, Joe Mazzulla can call on Derrick White, Payton Pritchard and Mike Conley Jr. to plug the guard spots. The Celtics are still one player short of having enough guard depth to navigate the upcoming season.
Sure, in terms of playmaking, the Celtics are going to be fine. Jayson Tatum will carry the majority of the load there, with White, Pritchard, Conley, Baylor Scheierman and even Hugo Gonzalez all chipping in.
However, having another guard who can handle the rock, dictate tempo and score across all three levels would ensure Mazzulla has multi-faceted depth across every position.
With that in mind, Boston would be wise to explore a trade for someone to add to the current guard rotation. That’s where Tre Jones comes in. Jones has two years remaining on his three-year $24 million deal, with the final season being a team option. He’s a proven scorer who has impressed for the Chicago Bulls when coming off the bench.
A potential trade package could look like this:
Boston Celtics get: Tre Jones
Chicago Bulls get: Sam Hauser
You could argue that Boston would need to add a second-round pick into the equation, but given Hauser’s status as an elite shooter and the experience he would bring to a rebuilding Bulls team, there’s a chance Chicago would do this deal straight up.
Why The Celtics Would Do This Deal
Jones is a downhill guard. Last season, 55% of his shot attempts came within four feet of the rim, where he converted at a 69% clip, per Cleaning The Glass. Right now, Boston’s guard rotation is heavily perimeter-focused.
Having a guard who can pressure the defense, force collapses and reliably score or find a spot-up shooter would give Boston a different dimension on nights that their shots aren’t falling.
Furthermore, Jones is a solid playmaker. Last season, Jones registered an assist on 28.5% of his teammates’ made shots while he was on the floor. That number is more impressive when you factor in his 21.1% usage rate, placing him in the 93rd percentile among guards for assists-to-usage rate.
Simply put, Jones doesn’t eat up too much of the offense, creates for those around him and finishes around the rim far better than you would expect for a player of his size.
Of course, there would be questions about him defensively, as there always is with slightly undersized guards. Fortunately, the Celtics have enough length on the wings to help offset those concerns via scram switches or pre-switching actions.
Why The Bulls Would Do The Deal
Last season, the Bulls ranked 21st in the league for three-point percentage, per Cleaning The Glass (which uses a garbage time filter). Adding an elite shooter like Hauser would instantly improve Chicago’s floor-spacing and potency from deep.
Hauser also brings a championship mentality and is a better-than-expected defender, both in team and isolation situations. For a rebuilding team a low-touch, low-usage sniper such as Hauser could provide genuine upside, while also providing the spacing for young talents such as Caleb Wilson and Matas Buzelis to thrive.
Both teams could potentially benefit from making this deal. However, as with any negotiation in the NBA, there would likely be some hurdles along the way.
Still, Boston’s guard rotation may need an extra body this season, and Jones provides something the team doesn’t already have. That’s at least worth exploring.
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