Trade Deadline News (Celtics get Tillman, Jaden Springer)

[SparzWizard]

He basically the Jarred Vanderbilt for the C's except better ppg this season?

[johnnygreen]

I hate to be Debbie Downer, but this guy will barely play. And if he does play, the Celtics might be in trouble because that would mean someone ahead of him maybe injured.

This is the first trade deadline in some time, where I have relatively no interest from a Celtics perspective. The starting 5 is loaded and take up so much cap space, so there is very little room for improvement. So any trade would essentially be for the back ups to the back ups.

[Vermont Green]

He fits a need better than Stevens so a sensible swap.  But I am not getting my hopes up that he will have any more impact than Muscala.

[liam]

That's a good trade. I think Tillman is a good fit. He's like a bigger Grant but with worse shooting... Well, about the same this year.

[Surferdad]

I hate to be Debbie Downer, but this guy will barely play. And if he does play, the Celtics might be in trouble because that would mean someone ahead of him maybe injured.

This is the first trade deadline in some time, where I have relatively no interest from a Celtics perspective. The starting 5 is loaded and take up so much cap space, so there is very little room for improvement. So any trade would essentially be for the back ups to the back ups.

That’s not being a Debbie Downer at all, it actually is one of the main reasons to make the trade.

[liam]

Now grab Konchar...

[Roy H.]

Now grab Konchar...

Why?

[Roy H.]

/Boston Celtics grade: A

What do you get the team that has everything? The Celtics are the title favorites at ESPN BET, and for good reason. They boast the NBA's best record, rank in the league's top three in both offensive and defensive and have an airtight top-eight rotation when healthy.

The latter two criteria were the lone fault lines in Boston. Centers Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford have combined to miss 23 games this season, and while Horford's absences are primarily precautionary and the Celtics are being cautious with Porzingis, they can't count on having them throughout every game of an anticipated long playoff run.

It counts as a concern in Boston that the team's lowest on-court net rating for any player comes with third center Luke Kornet in action. The Celtics are still outscoring opponents by 2.7 points per 100 possessions with Kornet, according to NBA Advanced Stats, but amazingly they're at least plus-8.0 with every other player who's seen at least 250 minutes.

Enter Tillman, a proven playoff veteran who started all six games Memphis played last postseason and another six in the Grizzlies' 2021-22 run. If Horford or Porzingis miss a game in the playoffs, or even just get in foul trouble, Joe Mazzulla can turn to Tillman with somewhat more confidence than Kornet. Beyond that, another big man will help Boston manage the minutes for Horford and Porzingis the rest of the regular season while attempting to secure home-court advantage throughout the playoffs.

From a financial perspective, Tillman is an ideal fit on a taxpaying team. He's making just $1.9 million in the last year of his rookie contract, meaning the Celtics actually cut their tax bill by swapping him for the seldom-used Stevens. Tillman will be an unrestricted free agent this summer. Boston can re-sign him for any amount using full Bird rights, useful given the Celtics won't have access to the midlevel exception so long as they retain Jrue Holiday, which will push them above the NBA's second luxury-tax apron.

The one question Boston will have to answer before considering a new contract for Tillman is what to make of his curious decline as a finisher this season. After hitting 71% of his shots in the restricted area in 2022-23, Tillman is down to 56%, a dreadful mark for a 6-foot-8 center. Add in 23% accuracy on 3s -- a shot the Celtics would do well to discourage -- and Tillman is hitting 41% from the field overall.

Tillman had a similar drop-off in 2021-22 according to NBA Advanced Stats, shooting 56% in the restricted area after 71% as a rookie. And Tillman's other athletic indicators are strong, including smashing his career high by blocking 4.6% of opponents' 2-point attempts. So odds are Tillman will finish in Boston, particularly with the benefit of better floor spacing and more playmaking around him.

Adding Tillman using matching salary also means the Celtics won't have to dip into the $6.2 million trade exception they created by sending Grant Williams to the Dallas Mavericks via sign-and-trade last summer. Boston could use that exception in another trade before the deadline or, more likely, save it for an offseason move.

[blink]

is Tillman better than Kornet or Queta?  not being argumentative, I just don't know.

I think he’s more capable of playing the 4 than those two, so he’s better in that he’s a little more versatile defensively.  I’d say each of them have strengths that are better than the others, so it will depend a little on what the C’s are looking for on any given night they choose to go to one.

thanks Celtics2021 and Goldstar

[blink]

That's a good trade. I think Tillman is a good fit. He's like a bigger Grant but with worse shooting... Well, about the same this year.

After I researched him a bit, wouldn't he be a better defender than Grant?  Maybe only because he is taller/ longer?

[Celtics2021]

That's a good trade. I think Tillman is a good fit. He's like a bigger Grant but with worse shooting... Well, about the same this year.

After I researched him a bit, wouldn't he be a better defender than Grant?  Maybe only because he is taller/ longer?

Grant is better laterally.  The Celtics felt comfortable having Grant consistently guard perimeter players.  Tillman can survive when he’s switched on them mid-possession, but you wouldn’t start him out there on purpose like you would with Grant.  But Tillman is a very good defender — the Celtics now have two players (also Derrick White) who’ve averaged more than a block and a steal per game this year, and there aren’t many in the league who’ve done that.

[michigan adam]

Allows the c's to play a little bigger with 2 true bigs more often, allowing jt to play a little more sf and jb to play a little more sg.  Another wing with a little more offensive game will likely replace oshae on the rister...given blanton is a little more position versatile. 

[radiohead]

Nice, I like this trade. I posted this in one of the trade ideas threads and I’m glad it did happen. Tillman is a nice insurance big.

[Redz]

Looking at his stats, makes me wonder on generality: why do guys who shoot less than 30% from 3 bother taking them more than once in a blue moon?

I know 1.6 3’s taken per game is not a lot by today’s standards, but man, he’s never shot them well. 

Anyhow…glad we got him.  Seems like a good competitive big man.

[PAOBoston]

Good trade. He’s a good defender. Think the Cs try to extend him in offseason as well.