With up to 14 players (pending player options) potentially under contract for the Celtics heading into the 2020-21 season, Danny Ainge has a lot of options this offseason as he tries to improve his roster and build the Celtics into a formidable contender.
The crowded depth chart indicates consolidation is an option Boston’s front office is going to need to explore. There is not going to be enough room for everyone to play regular minutes in a healthy rotation, and there are necessary improvements that need to be made to bolster depth after a disappointing finish in the Eastern Conference Finals.
To sort through it all, let’s take a closer look at the team’s roster in part 3 of the 2020 Celtics trade value power rankings. We’ll complete the full list in coming days but you can catch up by checking out Part 1 looking at spots No. 14-11 and also the value of the young guys in spots No. 10-8 in Part 2.
Criteria: This isn’t simply ranking the best-to-worst players on the roster. There is significantly more that goes into a player’s trade value around the league than just talent (although that’s important). A player’s age, contract situation and injury history are all vital factors. Multiple scouts from around the league were consulted as this list was put together.
What will limit Williams’ value around the league beyond his size limitations is his offensive game. His 3-point shooting slump to start the season (0-of-25) dragged down his perimeter shooting numbers all year but he ended the season on a very high note to build on (10-of-17) from 3 in the postseason. The question now as Williams gets deeper into his 20s is whether he can turn into more of an offensive threat both on the perimeter and at the basket to keep opposing defenses honest. He’s a smart player that had one of the lowest usage rates on the team so he’s not going to be taking any bad shots most nights. However, remaining too passive (7.3 FGA/36 minutes) can be used against him as well. If he can maintain more consistency from beyond the arc and become more potent of a finisher in the paint, that could lead him into developing into a potential starter or high usage big off the bench for Boston or any team around the league.
For now, the Celtics will likely keep him around in hopes he can develop that game more while maintaining a low price tag but if he has a sophomore breakout in year two, he could be a crucial sweetener in any trade for the C’s if they are targeting a win-now upgrade. For now, he’s done what many of his younger teammates have failed to do after their first year in the league: Maintain the value from his draft spot.
What could Celtics get for him? A late-first round pick or another rookie-scale player with question marks. Could also be a useful sweetener in a multi-player deal for Boston.
His limitations were on greater display in the postseason, particularly when his 3-point shooting slumped (17 percent) that limited his offensive contributions when it mattered most. He struggled against Bam Adebayo defensively but he was far from the reason why the C’s lost that series. For $5 million, he probably gave the C’s the most bang for the buck out of anyone on their roster not named Jayson Tatum or Jaylen Brown.
The Celtics originally signed him to a two-year deal last offseason with a second year non-guaranteed likely to give themselves some trade flexibility this offseason. If Theis hadn’t panned out, he could be moved at the draft to help with salary matching in a deal and the other team could simply waive him afterward. However, his breakout season has ensured that won’t happen. Even with a shrinking cap, Theis making $5 million next season is a bargain and he’s a heavy favorite to remain the starting center on this roster next year. As the most valuable non-core piece on the roster, his trade market is fascinating. He’s underpaid and in his prime but the center position has a lot of talent (albeit flawed) on the free-agent market this summer that could be available for bargain-basement prices. The C’s could certainly get something for Theis if they shopped him but his size and playoff limitations make his value less to other teams than to the Celtics as he’s coming up on his fourth full year with the team.
The Celtics could probably get a first-round pick for him but that won’t help if the priority is to win now. From a player standpoint, he only makes sense to move if they think Rob Williams is ready to take the full-time center job and that’s not clear yet either. Barring a trade for a big upgrade with one of the center pieces, Theis is probably the best option for this team at the center spot next year.
What could Celtics get for him? A mid-to-late first-round pick or a bench upgrade on an expiring deal.
The season ended on a very down note for him after his Grade 3 ankle sprain in the playoffs and it’s hard to put aside durability concerns at this stage of his career in the wake of his ankle injury in 2017. However, assuming he comes back at full strength next season, he’s coming off one of the best seasons of his career from an efficiency standpoint. He sacrificed a lot of usage for the betterment of the team, which helped the development of Tatum and Brown last season but he also had a career-high in FG percentage (50 percent), FT shooting (85 percent) and rebounds (6.7). If he’s a second or third option on any other team, he’s probably still an All-Star based on those efficiency numbers, something that didn’t happen after a broken hand spoiled his slow start to the year.
We all know Hayward hasn’t lived up to his contract due to the numerous injuries he’s dealt with and the after-effects that have come with them but the guy we saw for most of last season is a player any contender around the league would want (when healthy). Making the math work in any trade won’t be easy due to Hayward’s high salary but the C’s would expect more overall value for him in any deal than they would get for more of a situational player like Theis. The odds are against that type of deal popping up this offseason due to reduced revenues and limited cap room across the league putting the squeeze on the budgets of many teams so odds are Hayward is back since he and the Celtics wouldn’t be likely to find an appealing market in this climate, although some suitors out west could emerge (Dallas, Denver).
However, it is essential for the Celtics to get a strong read on his intentions this summer when it comes to his long-term plans. They can’t afford to let him walk away for no return next offseason if he decides he doesn’t want to be a secondary option in Boston moving forward. If he doesn’t show interest in staying long-term or is demanding too high a price, a trade will need to be explored this offseason or midseason to ensure the team can replace some of his production (since they won’t have cap room even if he leaves).
What could Celtics get for him? A first-round pick packaged with a bunch of solid bench players that make enough to match salaries (talent downgrade) or a talented player with question marks on a long-term pricy deal.
Next up: The final edition
