In by-far the most important information of the day, Jrue Vacation is offered for commerce! I’m wondering if the Celtics ought to go after him. We undoubtedly ought to, proper? Hmm… how about this commerce? That draft choose goes there… carry the 4, Pritchard can go house… Prit-ch-aaard ca..n g- hooooooooo…

(Warning: Celticsbrain overloading, consciousness slipping)

Oh, The Milwaukee Bucks have traded for Damian Lillard? No matter.

That information was so seven hours in the past. Lillard made his method out of Portland and can conceivably be tasting artisanal cheeses by early subsequent week. He dropped a farewell single for Blazers followers, creatively titled “Farewell,” and early returns have the Bucks as the brand new favorites to win the NBA Finals… and that’s that. Pack it up, transfer on, we’re accomplished right here, proper?

In all seriousness, my illustrious colleague Jack Simone wrote a super-hot-fire evaluation of what the Bucks-Lillard marriage will imply for the Celtics, and for those who’re questioning, go test it out! However I’m right here to debate the newer, barely smaller elephant within the room: Jrue Vacation.

Vacation, the two-time All Star, three-time All-Defensive First Staff and one time second-best-guy-on-a-title-team was simply traded to the Blazers together with a 2029 first spherical choose to pry Lillard from Portland.

However Vacation is a 33-year-old level guard, a place the Blazers have had little interest in messing as soon as they landed Scoot Henderson on this yr’s draft. By all accounts, the Blazers capital-L Love Scoot, so why would they commerce for Vacation?

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski shortly addressed this apparent contradiction.

“The Blazers stay engaged elsewhere on offers and can are anticipated to right away interact contending groups on commerce talks to maneuver on Jrue Vacation, sources inform ESPN,” Wojnarowski mentioned on X this afternoon. “Portland is dedicated to its younger group of gifted guards.”

I don’t learn about you, however upon listening to {that a} topflight participant is instantly out there, my Celticsbrain immediately thinks of cheap methods to get that particular person on the Celtics.

If solely it had been so easy.

After all, in a vacuum, each staff and fan would like to have Jrue Vacation’s providers. However he’s additionally on the again 9 of his prime, on the final yr of his deal and can thus virtually actually need an extension wherever he finally ends up. Do the Celtics really need that on the books?

Probably, much more troubling is who and what the Celtics might have to surrender to get Vacation, and with the roster trying so positively loaded as is, do we actually must mortgage the farm for one more contributor?

All of those questions are swirling round in my Celticsbrain, so I believed we’d parse the parameters of what a commerce may appear like, with related commentary included. Then we will all resolve if it’s truly a good suggestion, and name Brad Stevens on speakerphone to let him know our determination. Sound good? Okay, break.

Picture by Patrick McDermott/Getty Photos

Query 1: What does buying and selling for Vacation value?

Vacation’s market—like most markets in human society after the autumn of the Berlin Wall—will likely be dictated by related competitors. So which contenders could possibly be bidding alongside the Celtics?

Two phrases: Miami Warmth. They only misplaced out on the Lillard, in all probability as a result of their supply was like attempting to commerce a disassembled 2002 BMW for a lightly-used Ferrari. However they take advantage of sense after which some to go after Jrue, who looks like Warmth Tradition ready to occur.

Vacation shouldn’t be the identical tier of participant as Lillard, however their supply might be the same-ish: two first spherical picks, perhaps a swap and Tyler Herro, together with no matter filler they’d like to incorporate.

Can the Celtics beat that? I believe so, as Malcolm Brogdon and a extra profitable pick-package is certainly within the playing cards, in addition to an incredibly massive conflict chest of second spherical picks acquired via a bunch of tremendous random trades final yr. Possibly Payton Pritchard even will get to go house to Portland, which I believe would make everybody joyful.

However you begin to lose me when names like Robert Williams III and (shivers) Derrick White get introduced up. Many of the cause I’m so fascinated about Jrue is due to how wonderful a backcourt he and White can be. The sheer quantity of protection can be staggering. With Porzingis arriving, I could possibly be satisfied to incorporate Williams in a commerce, however White is a non-starter.

Different doable locations off the highest of the dome: the 76ers, Knicks, Magic, Raptors, and Warriors may all throw out a proposal, however the Warmth really feel like the primary contender. Nonetheless, I believe the Celtics have an actual supply in the event that they’re prepared to shell out picks.

Query 2: Is Vacation the participant actually value all that?

Within the immortal phrases of John Wick, “yeah.”

Vacation’s true worth doesn’t come out in his counting stats, which aren’t by any means unhealthy. He’s hovered round 18-7-5 for just about his total profession, however his actual influence is available in how he’s perceived by his opponents.

In The Athletic’s yearly nameless ballot of NBA gamers, Vacation jumped off the web page. His friends voted him the league’s finest defender by a landslide, in addition to the NBA’s most underrated participant. All of the whereas, Vacation is an authorized gamer, routinely elevating his sport within the playoffs and annihilating inferior defenders.

He murdered the Celtics bench within the common season final yr, mercilessly dropping 40 on their heads, earlier than eviscerating Indiana with a career-high 51 on insanely environment friendly capturing. He as soon as lit up the Path Blazers (his present staff) so exhausting that he and Anthony Davis unintentionally scored probably the most factors ever by a pair of teammates in a playoff sport. In brief, he can hoop.

On the Celtics, Vacation creates positively outrageous lineup flexibility that borders on death-lineup ranges. He and White may play with Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum and Al Horford to go small just like the world has by no means seen.

White could possibly be changed by Robert Williams III and Al slide out for Porzingis, and abruptly morph into the sickest huge lineup ever. Vacation ought to work completely with what the Celtics need to do, each offensively and defensively.

Query 3: That’s all effectively and good, however what about that extension?

That’s the probably $130 million query. Vacation will in all probability need a Fred VanVleet-level deal from wherever he goes, although the Celtics wouldn’t be required to pay him something greater than the final yr of his deal plus the participant choice he may choose up. It could nevertheless be an exceedingly awkward state of affairs if Vacation feels he’s being undervalued.

I’m additionally not fully out on the thought of paying Vacation a three-year extension. It would really feel wealthy for somebody his age, however Vacation is such a cerebral participant that he would possibly age fairly effectively. This could be the time to get Vacation locked in earlier than the second apron makes paying greater than two guys extraordinarily tough.

I received’t lie, it’s not like it is a monetary slam dunk. But it surely’s doable.

Remaining Dedication:

I believe severely pursuing Vacation with actual draft capital is well worth the threat of his age, even with an extension on the books. Can we all agree? In that case, I’m calling Brad. Let the purpose guard arms race start!