Written by Michael D Sykes III at SB Nation.com
After a hectic Fourth of July that had fans of both the Celtics and the Jazz on edge for hours, Danny Ainge and Co. finally got the star they’d been after this offseason, as Gordon Hayward finally announced himself that he was indeed going to rejoin Brad Stevens and play for the Boston Celtics.
Yet less than a day later, the Celtics could once again be on the hunt for another big addition. According to a report from Adrian Wojnarowski, the Celtics’ original plan this offseason was to sign Hayward, and then try to trade for Paul George. But with the Pacers preempting them by dumping George to the Thunder, that plan is now out the window.
However, perhaps there is still hope for the Celtics trading for a star after acquiring Hayward. Per a report from Chris Mannix, league executives believe that the Celtics could trade for Marc Gasol, as the Grizzlies’ future is in flux. Via The Vertical:
The trade market for stars has momentarily dried up. One player worth keeping an eye on, two league executives told The Vertical: Memphis’ Marc Gasol. The Grizzlies lost Zach Randolph, Tony Allen could be next out the door, and if you were filling out your Western Conference playoff bracket today, Memphis probably wouldn’t be in it. Would the Grizz move the 32-year-old Gasol for a ready-made rebuilding package of players and picks? Would Boston – which has to be wary of putting together a team that would beat Cleveland but still get pulverized by Golden State – be interested? Again, worth watching.
The stars haven’t aligned properly yet to create the opportunity for the Celtics to go after the Grizzlies’ All-Star big man, but a time could come when they do. We know the Celtics have tons of assets. If the Grizzlies struggle this year, do they think about moving Gasol and triggering a rebuild?
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