Trade Deadline News (Celtics get Tillman, Jaden Springer)

[Roy H.]

Jay King: Even if he doesn’t take all of Kornet’s minutes, Tillman will give the Celtics a different type of frontcourt option. EPM, a catch-all impact metric, puts him in the 99th percentile of all defenders. For a guy with his strength, he has great footwork on the perimeter. He can switch onto guards and keep them in front of him. He’s a defensive playmaker and one of 14 players averaging at least one steal and one block per game so far this season.

“I think it brings a big that is versatile as far as defending,” said Payton Pritchard. “We’ve seen him play, he can guard bigger, he moves his feet very well. Obviously, being in Memphis you know he has grit to him. So he’ll definitely add another layer to us.”

One layer he will add: Tillman has enough physicality to handle the biggest, toughest matchups. The Celtics didn’t have many options to throw at the Joel Embiids, Giannis Antetokounmpos and Nikola Jokićs. Kristaps Porziņģis can protect the rim, but handling the most physical assignments isn’t his strength. Jrue Holiday has taken on the challenge of guarding just about every type of opponent this season, but he’s only 6 foot 4. I don’t know how well throwing him on, say, Embiid, would work during a seven-game playoff series. Al Horford is probably the only player the Celtics would have been comfortable putting on those types of guys.

Now they have Tillman too, just in case. In all likelihood, he won’t play too much in every playoff series if the Celtics are healthy. But he could be pivotal in certain matchups. The front office did good work to acquire him without giving up anyone with a realistic chance of cracking the postseason rotation.

[Vermont Green]

Well, looks like we may be done:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nba/boston-celtics-reportedly-done-making-trades/ar-BB1hYPMm?ocid=msedgntp&pc=DCTS&cvid=9e1cf7658fb846239bedd79e3f918e9e&ei=11

I can't say that I expected much more than getting a bench big.  Plus there is still the buy out market.

[Vermont Green]

Jay King: Even if he doesn’t take all of Kornet’s minutes, Tillman will give the Celtics a different type of frontcourt option. EPM, a catch-all impact metric, puts him in the 99th percentile of all defenders. For a guy with his strength, he has great footwork on the perimeter. He can switch onto guards and keep them in front of him. He’s a defensive playmaker and one of 14 players averaging at least one steal and one block per game so far this season.

“I think it brings a big that is versatile as far as defending,” said Payton Pritchard. “We’ve seen him play, he can guard bigger, he moves his feet very well. Obviously, being in Memphis you know he has grit to him. So he’ll definitely add another layer to us.”

One layer he will add: Tillman has enough physicality to handle the biggest, toughest matchups. The Celtics didn’t have many options to throw at the Joel Embiids, Giannis Antetokounmpos and Nikola Jokićs. Kristaps Porziņģis can protect the rim, but handling the most physical assignments isn’t his strength. Jrue Holiday has taken on the challenge of guarding just about every type of opponent this season, but he’s only 6 foot 4. I don’t know how well throwing him on, say, Embiid, would work during a seven-game playoff series. Al Horford is probably the only player the Celtics would have been comfortable putting on those types of guys.

Now they have Tillman too, just in case. In all likelihood, he won’t play too much in every playoff series if the Celtics are healthy. But he could be pivotal in certain matchups. The front office did good work to acquire him without giving up anyone with a realistic chance of cracking the postseason rotation.

This all sounds promising.

Is he expected to be available or the game Friday vs. WAS?  Seems like a good chance to get some run.

[keevsnick]

The Tillman move is good becasue its gives the C's some lineup versatility. He can serves as a small ball five and hold up against bigger threats like Giannis, Embiid and Jokic or play the forward next to a shooting center like KP or Horford and match up against bigger wing types like Butler. He's very versatile defensively, makes plays.

Going from the team in the league with maybe the worst spacing in the Griz to team with the bets in the C's will help his offense. He's both center insurance and big wing defender help.

[Vermont Green]

Trying to understand the depth chart.  It is hard to structure as we start so many guards and wings.  I am just wondering, would this allow them to go back to starting two bigs?

White              Holiday            Danton
Brown             Pritchard          Mykhailiuk
Tatum             Hauser             Walsh
Horford           Tillman             Brissett
Porzingis         Kornet              OPEN (Queta)

(Queta is a 2-way)

Setting the order or specific slots aside, I see this as the top 10 for sure.  In what combinations they play, that is different.  They probably do not change the starting 5 but we may see more 2-big line ups now.

It wouldn't hurt my feelings.  We give up a lot of ORebs when we play small.

The starters with Porzingis are -15 in ORebs.  With Horford -5 ORebs.  Hopefully Tillman will help with that.

[keevsnick]

Trying to understand the depth chart.  It is hard to structure as we start so many guards and wings.  I am just wondering, would this allow them to go back to starting two bigs?

White              Holiday            Danton
Brown             Pritchard          Mykhailiuk
Tatum             Hauser             Walsh
Horford           Tillman             OPEN
Porzingis         Kornet              Queta

Setting the order or specific slots aside, I see this as the top 10 for sure.  In what combinations they play, that is different.  They probably do not change the starting 5 but we may see more 2-big line ups now.

It wouldn't hurt my feelings.  We give up a lot of ORebs when we play small.

I would be pretty shocked if they go back to starting two bigs. The single center lineup has been great for them this year!

Most likely Tillman will get some Horford minutes to keep his legs fresh. He'll get some Kornet minutes at center in certain matchups when a stronger guy is needed. He'll get some forward minutes when Jaylen/Jayson get a rest day or when those guys shift down a position to cover White/Holiday rest days. All that total will get him a rotation spot worth of minutes.

[Celtics2021]

Trying to understand the depth chart.  It is hard to structure as we start so many guards and wings.  I am just wondering, would this allow them to go back to starting two bigs?

White              Holiday            Danton
Brown             Pritchard          Mykhailiuk
Tatum             Hauser             Walsh
Horford           Tillman             OPEN
Porzingis         Kornet              Queta

Setting the order or specific slots aside, I see this as the top 10 for sure.  In what combinations they play, that is different.  They probably do not change the starting 5 but we may see more 2-big line ups now.

It wouldn't hurt my feelings.  We give up a lot of ORebs when we play small.

The starters with Porzingis are -15 in ORebs.  With Horford -5 ORebs.  Hopefully Tillman will help with that.

You just cut Brissett.  You’re harsh!

[DefenseWinsChamps]

Not trying to be a jerk here, but with the "smoke" around how Grant Williams left and went to Dallas, the vengeful part of me enjoys that he then got traded to the worst NBA franchise.

Still, I did like him as a Celtic an think he's a better player than he has been.

The Mavs getting Gafford and Washington is pretty impressive. They've had a very effective front office.

[RJ87]

Seth Curry needs to stop signing with the Mavericks. How many times can a team trade a single player lol?

[liam]

Not trying to be a jerk here, but with the "smoke" around how Grant Williams left and went to Dallas, the vengeful part of me enjoys that he then got traded to the worst NBA franchise.

Still, I did like him as a Celtic an think he's a better player than he has been.

The Mavs getting Gafford and Washington is pretty impressive. They've had a very effective front office.

Poor Grant.

[Celtics2021]

Not trying to be a jerk here, but with the "smoke" around how Grant Williams left and went to Dallas, the vengeful part of me enjoys that he then got traded to the worst NBA franchise.

Still, I did like him as a Celtic an think he's a better player than he has been.

The Mavs getting Gafford and Washington is pretty impressive. They've had a very effective front office.

Poor Grant.

I think it’s a win for Grant.  Charlotte was probably his first choice of where to sign last summer, but they had to keep cap space for Washington’s cap hold.  Now he winds up where he wanted to.  I actually think Charlotte got the better end of the bargain. Washington was a bit of a chucker — I think Grant is the better player for the Hornets, and they get a future 1st.  And he makes less money.

[keevsnick]

Not trying to be a jerk here, but with the "smoke" around how Grant Williams left and went to Dallas, the vengeful part of me enjoys that he then got traded to the worst NBA franchise.

Still, I did like him as a Celtic an think he's a better player than he has been.

The Mavs getting Gafford and Washington is pretty impressive. They've had a very effective front office.

Poor Grant.

I think it’s a win for Grant.  Charlotte was probably his first choice of where to sign last summer, but they had to keep cap space for Washington’s cap hold.  Now he winds up where he wanted to.  I actually think Charlotte got the better end of the bargain. Washington was a bit of a chucker — I think Grant is the better player for the Hornets, and they get a future 1st.  And he makes less money.

Grant Williams got his contract, will likely get to start in Charlotte with PJ and Hayward out the door, and he grew up in Charlotte. So I'd say he's doing just fine.

He brings a skill set that will help Charlotte.

[liam]

Not trying to be a jerk here, but with the "smoke" around how Grant Williams left and went to Dallas, the vengeful part of me enjoys that he then got traded to the worst NBA franchise.

Still, I did like him as a Celtic an think he's a better player than he has been.

The Mavs getting Gafford and Washington is pretty impressive. They've had a very effective front office.

Poor Grant.

I think it’s a win for Grant.  Charlotte was probably his first choice of where to sign last summer, but they had to keep cap space for Washington’s cap hold.  Now he winds up where he wanted to.  I actually think Charlotte got the better end of the bargain. Washington was a bit of a chucker — I think Grant is the better player for the Hornets, and they get a future 1st.  And he makes less money.

Grant Williams got his contract, will likely get to start in Charlotte with PJ and Hayward out the door, and he grew up in Charlotte. So I'd say he's doing just fine.

He brings a skill set that will help Charlotte.

Yeah, if a winning situation is irrelevant then he made out.

[Vermont Green]

Trying to understand the depth chart.  It is hard to structure as we start so many guards and wings.  I am just wondering, would this allow them to go back to starting two bigs?

White              Holiday            Danton
Brown             Pritchard          Mykhailiuk
Tatum             Hauser             Walsh
Horford           Tillman             OPEN
Porzingis         Kornet              Queta

Setting the order or specific slots aside, I see this as the top 10 for sure.  In what combinations they play, that is different.  They probably do not change the starting 5 but we may see more 2-big line ups now.

It wouldn't hurt my feelings.  We give up a lot of ORebs when we play small.

The starters with Porzingis are -15 in ORebs.  With Horford -5 ORebs.  Hopefully Tillman will help with that.

You just cut Brissett.  You’re harsh!

I knew something didn't look right, yes, Brissett is now 3rd string and Queta is a 2-way, but the defacto 15th roster spot.  Good catch.

[Roy H.]

The Former Celtics trade deadline team:

Kelly Olynyk
Grant Williams
Gordon Hayward
Evan Fournier
Dennis Schroeder