Celtics Bold Trade Pitch Lands $120 Million Elite Scorer Next to Jayson Tatum

The Boston Celtics will be one of the franchises to make some moves this offseason. Surrounding their star duo Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown with strong pieces will be the top priority.

A bold three-team proposal by FanSided’s Matt Moore has the Celtics acquiring Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro.

In the trade, the Heat will get DeMar DeRozan from the Sacramento Kings, Sam Hauser from the Celtics, and a negotiable draft pick compensation. The Kings then receive Anfernee Simons from Boston.

This proposal was made before Simons was dealt by Boston before the trade deadline. As such, he will be swapped with Nikola Vucevic in this scenario.  

The Celtics will add an extra scoring piece to the roster with Herro although there will be positional concerns as the Celtics are already stacked in the guard positions.

How Celtics Can Land Herro

GettyMiami Heat guard Tyler Herro

The proposed trade for Herro has Boston moving salary-matching pieces rather than a haul of assets. 

Herro will be on an expiring deal after next season as his $120 million four-year contract signed in 2022 runs out. This gives the Celtics some flexibility to fit him into their cap.

The Celtics also have a $27.7 traded player exception clause which they got from trading Simons. Herro is projected to earn around $33 million next season which is not a huge difference. 

Boston is in a good place to get Herro but the question they will have to face is whether Miami will be willing to deal. Reports have pegged the Heat as frontrunners to acquire Giannis Antetokounmpo. For that, they will need Herro as a tradable piece and DeRozan at 36 years old isn’t the most appealing return for a franchise aiming to contend.

Herro’s Fit in Boston With Jayson Tatum

GettyJayson Tatum against the Sixers.

The addition of Herro will be a big plus to the Celtics at least offensively. The Heat guard is a skilled shot-creator and scorer off the dribble, he excels in pick-and-roll actions and spot-up shooting. A secondary creator behind Tatum and Brown could be his fit.

“The Celtics take on Herro who gives them the best player in the trade,” Moore wrote. “He’s [on] an expiring [contract], which is complicated. He plays the same position as [Derrick] White, which is complicated. He arguably plays the same position as Brown, which is complicated. But it’s turning Jrue Holiday into Tyler Herro, which is pretty great, and Herro would absolutely roast in that system.”

There is no scenario in which Brown is not a starter for Boston. The same can be said for White except the Celtics are planning a change in their system towards a more offense-oriented one. However, a lineup consisting of Tatum, Brown, and Herro already takes away some defensive attributes of the team.

Boston will have to seek defensive pieces to complement the Herro trade which will then have an impact on their cap. Of course, they could seek out players from free agency, however, a defensive player who can cover those lapses will command a good salary. 

Hauser in the proposed trade, helps to create more space, but it may eventually leave the Celtics to move more pieces to accommodate any defensive upside player. 

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