The unofficial start of the NBA’s 2023-24 trade season kicking off on Dec. 15, the date when many of the players who signed deals during the league’s 2023 offseason become eligible to be traded, breathes a little more life into one of the slower stretches of the league calendar.
And it is not just fans of the Boston Celtics and other teams around the Association who let their imaginations run wild with the possibilities for change of a given team in the league. NBA analysts try to project which clubs will aim for what players, and the novelty of it all tends to get fans in a lather that is rarely born out in reality — yet grab us nonetheless.
The Ringer’s Michael Pina recently put together such a trade proposal, putting some meat on bones laid out by the reporting of HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto early in December.
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“As was expected before this season began, Boston’s top six players are better than every other team’s,” writes Pina.
“Behind them are solid contributors like Sam Hauser, Payton Pritchard, and Luke Kornet, but Brad Stevens is still likely to make some type of move before the trade deadline, be it for an insurance policy or someone who can actually crack Joe Mazzulla’s playoff rotation.”
“Boston still has several draft picks to dangle and a few trade exceptions to take advantage of, but don’t expect anything transformative,” adds The Ringer analyst.
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“There aren’t too many gettable winning players who work on a team that won’t offer many shots or touches,” he continues.
“Enter: John Konchar, a low-usage, cost-controlled utilitarian who would be ideal filling a small hole on a contender. Instead of relying on All-Star teammates to make him better, Konchar is the type of role player who goes out of his way to ease the All-Star’s job. He functions on both ends, has great hands, and makes quick decisions, hustle plays, and open 3s while understanding, at all times, why he’s on the court … think “Poor Man’s Derrick White.” Konchar is a connector who doesn’t stop moving and keeps the ball hopping whenever it finds him.”
“He’d look better in Boston, where spacing isn’t the issue it’s always been in Memphis,” suggests Pina.
The Grizzlies recently signed Konchar to a team-friendly, three-year, $18.5 million deal, but with their season swirling a toilet bowl, they could consider cashing out on a 27-year-old who doesn’t make as much sense in a losing situation.”
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As Pina notes, Boston could easily complete the deal in a number of ways given Konchar’s $2.4 million salary this season, matchable by multiple minimum deals on the roster, or by using the Grant Williams traded player exception created by his decampment to the Dallas Mavericks this summer.
“It’s not the sexiest trade but would likely enhance Boston’s strengths in a subtle way that would matter deep into the Celtics’ playoff run,” he observes, and while we think a frontcourt addition the greater need, we wouldn’t be too upset so long as the ask was a minimal one.
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— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) December 14, 2023
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