Trade Idea: Celtics/Magic

[DefenseWinsChamps]

I think most of us still feel like we are one piece away from being a true contender again, even when Tatum comes back.

The emergence of our young wings fixes some of what we lost with Jrue, but we still need a big to go with Queta.

The shift in our defensive identity this year means we would be looking for a guy that can be a good helpside defender, while being able to play a helter-skelter, swarming style of defense.

For fun, I went through the league looking for players like this. Here is one trade that I came up with.

Just ignore the politics of this trade for a second -- on the court, does it make some sense?

Magic receive: Simons
Magic trade: Isaac, Jones, Howard

Celtics receive: Isaac, Jones
Celtics trade: Simons

Third team receives: Howard, draft compensation
Third team trades: tightly-protected late 2nd rounders that will never realize

Why for the Magic? They continue to struggle to score the basketball, even with Bane and the emergence of Black. Getting Simons gives them another great shooter to space the floor and a microwave scorer that can help them when the offense slows down.

If you follow the sentiment online, most Magic fans have been thinking it was time to trade Isaac for the last year. Jones is hardly playing, and they just declined Howard's team option, which means they are just salary filler. Trading Isaac for Simons keeps their core together while getting better offensively.

On top of that, they had been rumored to be interested in Simons for several years.

Why for the Celtics? Isaac is not only a lock-down one-on-one defender, but he is also a good helpside defender. He can play the 4 or the 5, but he doesn't demand the ball or shoot too much. He's a smart player who knows his role and could fit it really well. He fits the swarming defensive strategy with his length and quickness, and is well-known for being one of the most disruptive defenders in the NBA.

[slamtheking]

talent-wise, I like Isaac although he's never developed as much as I thought he would.  his biggest issue by far is his inability to stay healthy.  I wouldn't make the deal

[mobilija]

One of the more reasonable trades I?ve seen and the type of trade that is more likely than the Zubac/Claxton variety, in my opinion.

Agree w Slam on Isaac injury history but I think a B level 4/5 w some injury concerns is a good return for Simons and a mid 2nd round pick. Also, I?m assuming this helps dip us below luxury tax?

What are the ?politics? of the trade?

[jambr380]

The idea of Jonathan Isaac is a lot better than the actual player at this point in his career. I understand your thinking in cutting salary for this season and acquiring a versatile defensive wing, but Isaac is in the first year of a 4yr/$59M contract. While not necessarily horrible, it's not good either. And 3 more years of dealing with injury issues and possible conflicting political issues make it a no for me.

If we are taking on additional years on mid money, I'd want more of a guarantee. At this point, I'd rate Minott as a better player than Isaac. Minott is also super-coachable, durable, and athletic.

[slamtheking]

The idea of Jonathan Isaac is a lot better than the actual player at this point in his career. I understand your thinking in cutting salary for this season and acquiring a versatile defensive wing, but Isaac is in the first year of a 4yr/$59M contract. While not necessarily horrible, it's not good either. And 3 more years of dealing with injury issues and possible conflicting political issues make it a no for me.

If we are taking on additional years on mid money, I'd want more of a guarantee. At this point, I'd rate Minott as a better player than Isaac. Minott is also super-coachable, durable, and athletic.

the contract and injury concerns should be netting us the second rounders, not the C's sending any out.

[Roy H.]

Isaac and Jones have both been quite bad this year. 

[DefenseWinsChamps]

If Isaac was good this year, he wouldn't be available.

He has the potential to be an all-nba 1st team defender, and he's essentially making the MLE.

He fits a position of need

He maximizes our strengths on defense with his length, quickness, and swarming style of play.

He played 71 games last year and has been healthy this year. He may have turned a corner health-wise.

 

[Vermont Green]

Isaac is putting up 3 and 3 this season in 10 minutes.  Tyrus Jones has been worse.  I don't see the point.  Like someone said, the idea of Jonathon Isaac seems to be much better than the actuality of Jonathon Isaac.  I don't see the value of this trade.

[DefenseWinsChamps]

Isaac is putting up 3 and 3 this season in 10 minutes.  Tyrus Jones has been worse.  I don't see the point.  Like someone said, the idea of Jonathon Isaac seems to be much better than the actuality of Jonathon Isaac.  I don't see the value of this trade.

In fairness, he plays the same position as the Magic's two best players (big forward), and has the same weakness (shooting) as they do. He's not a good fit on that team and never has been.

But that's been an issue in Orlando for a while. Terrible team-building.

Good players in good situations are not available for cheap. We don't want bad players in good situations.

That only leaves good players in bad situations, and they are not always easy to identify.

He's widely considered one of the best defenders in the NBA in his limited minutes on the court.

[Vermont Green]

Isaac is putting up 3 and 3 this season in 10 minutes.  Tyrus Jones has been worse.  I don't see the point.  Like someone said, the idea of Jonathon Isaac seems to be much better than the actuality of Jonathon Isaac.  I don't see the value of this trade.

In fairness, he plays the same position as the Magic's two best players (big forward), and has the same weakness (shooting) as they do. He's not a good fit on that team and never has been.

But that's been an issue in Orlando for a while. Terrible team-building.

Good players in good situations are not available for cheap. We don't want bad players in good situations.

That only leaves good players in bad situations, and they are not always easy to identify.

He's widely considered one of the best defenders in the NBA in his limited minutes on the court.

What you are describing/hoping for is possible, but I don't see it.  I have not seen Isaac play all that much but what I have seen is not all that impressive to me.  He has averaged 33 games per season over 9 seasons.  He missed 2020-21 and 2021-22 entirely (0 games each).  I guess the hope is that he becomes something like Robert Williams was when he was good?  ORL liked him enough to give him a nice rookie extension and then another contract, so they clearly saw something.  I am just not seeing it.

[DefenseWinsChamps]

Isaac is putting up 3 and 3 this season in 10 minutes.  Tyrus Jones has been worse.  I don't see the point.  Like someone said, the idea of Jonathon Isaac seems to be much better than the actuality of Jonathon Isaac.  I don't see the value of this trade.

In fairness, he plays the same position as the Magic's two best players (big forward), and has the same weakness (shooting) as they do. He's not a good fit on that team and never has been.

But that's been an issue in Orlando for a while. Terrible team-building.

Good players in good situations are not available for cheap. We don't want bad players in good situations.

That only leaves good players in bad situations, and they are not always easy to identify.

He's widely considered one of the best defenders in the NBA in his limited minutes on the court.

What you are describing/hoping for is possible, but I don't see it.  I have not seen Isaac play all that much but what I have seen is not all that impressive to me.  He has averaged 33 games per season over 9 seasons.  He missed 2020-21 and 2021-22 entirely (0 games each).  I guess the hope is that he becomes something like Robert Williams was when he was good?  ORL liked him enough to give him a nice rookie extension and then another contract, so they clearly saw something.  I am just not seeing it.

Fair enough. It's a shot at a position of need. I've been messing around with other possibilities, but we would either have to pay a premium for a premium player that may or may not be available, or we have to take a chance on a guy.

We probably aren't going to take a chance on a guy like Zion or someone who has character issues/doesn't work hard. That's the core identity of this team.

If we are taking a chance on a guy, that basically leaves injury-prone guys and/or guys in bad situations.

Otherwise we are trading the farm.

[Vermont Green]

Isaac is putting up 3 and 3 this season in 10 minutes.  Tyrus Jones has been worse.  I don't see the point.  Like someone said, the idea of Jonathon Isaac seems to be much better than the actuality of Jonathon Isaac.  I don't see the value of this trade.

In fairness, he plays the same position as the Magic's two best players (big forward), and has the same weakness (shooting) as they do. He's not a good fit on that team and never has been.

But that's been an issue in Orlando for a while. Terrible team-building.

Good players in good situations are not available for cheap. We don't want bad players in good situations.

That only leaves good players in bad situations, and they are not always easy to identify.

He's widely considered one of the best defenders in the NBA in his limited minutes on the court.

What you are describing/hoping for is possible, but I don't see it.  I have not seen Isaac play all that much but what I have seen is not all that impressive to me.  He has averaged 33 games per season over 9 seasons.  He missed 2020-21 and 2021-22 entirely (0 games each).  I guess the hope is that he becomes something like Robert Williams was when he was good?  ORL liked him enough to give him a nice rookie extension and then another contract, so they clearly saw something.  I am just not seeing it.

Fair enough. It's a shot at a position of need. I've been messing around with other possibilities, but we would either have to pay a premium for a premium player that may or may not be available, or we have to take a chance on a guy.

We probably aren't going to take a chance on a guy like Zion or someone who has character issues/doesn't work hard. That's the core identity of this team.

If we are taking a chance on a guy, that basically leaves injury-prone guys and/or guys in bad situations.

Otherwise we are trading the farm.

I don't know what deals may be out there for Simons + Picks.  I will say that if the best we can do is Jonathan Isaac, I would just keep Simons.  We need a big more than we need an undersized SG, but Simons has not been horrible.  He is carving out a role and helping the team.