Trade Idea: Celtics - Thunder

[slightly biased bias fan]

This trade only really has legitimacy after this season, or at least towards the end of this upcoming season.

Celtics: Ajay Mitchell

Thunder: Hugo Gonzalez, 1st round pick (protected)

- - -

Boston Celtics

Mitchell
White
Tatum
George
Robinson

Queta, Cenac Jr, Hauser, Scheierman, Harper Jr, Prichard

- - -

Oklahoma City Thunder

Wallace
Gilgeous-Alexander
Williams
Holmgren
Hartensein

Sorber, Mara, Williams, Gonzalez, Caruso, McCain, Stirtz, Topic

[Goldstar88]

If Brad wouldn?t include Hugo in a trade package for Giannis, he certainly wouldn?t do so for Mitchell. Gonzalez is basically untouchable.

[Birdman]

I really don?t know with the hype with Hugo. Hopefully he become very good but I don?t know

[Neurotic Guy]

I really don?t know with the hype with Hugo. Hopefully he become very good but I don?t know

No one knows yet. But he?s already good defensively and has a good engine.  I don?t buy that Brad wouldn?t trade him as I haven?t seen any confirmation that Brad wouldnt have included him for Giannis.  I hope he?s able to show a good off-season of growth when we see him in a couple of weeks.

[Vermont Green]

I don't know about this trade but I want to address the conclusion that if BOS would not trade Hugo for Giannis, then they won't trade Hugo for [fill in the blank].

The Boston Celtics offered Jaylen Brown and two first-round draft picks for Giannis Antetokounmpo, but the Milwaukee Bucks demanded additional young players (such as Baylor Scheierman and Hugo Gonzalez) plus more draft assets and pick swaps.

The reporting was that BOS did not want to trade Brown, Scheierman, AND Hugo plus additional draft assets (plural) beyond the (2) firsts they had offered.  I don't think Hugo was the singular show stopper here.  I think BOS likes Hugo, and they should.  He competed at a very high level as a 19 year old.  There is a lot to like.  He may struggle some in his sophomore season, but he will still only be 20 (for most of the season).

As to the trade, I am not sure Ajay Mitchell is worth Hugo and a (protected) first.  Mitchell is a nice player relative to his contract and he may have some ceiling but I don't see him as anything special or likely to become anything special.  I would rather have Hugo and the pick.

[JBcat]

I would do this. Ajay is really really good. I like Hugo a lot but still has a lot of questions about his jumper, and being realistic of our future guard depth White is pushing further into his 30s year after year, and Pritchard is getting closer to 30 where smaller guards typically don?t age well.

Ajay would bring an infusion of a very talented young guard. At some point the Thunder might have to make decision to pay either Mitchell or Wallace, it?s going to be tough for them to extend both.

[aefgogreen]

I really don?t know with the hype with Hugo. Hopefully he become very good but I don?t know

I think the upside.  He has good size and seems to be well skilled. If he develops a reliable shot, the thought is he'll be a very strong two-way player. Who knows if he'll reach it or not.

[Celtics4ever]

If Brad wouldn?t include Hugo in a trade package for Giannis, he certainly wouldn?t do so for Mitchell. Gonzalez is basically untouchable.

100% agree

[JBcat]

If Brad wouldn?t include Hugo in a trade package for Giannis, he certainly wouldn?t do so for Mitchell. Gonzalez is basically untouchable.

100% agree

I don?t think it was Hugo by himself that stalled the trade, it was the totality of picks and pick swaps Hugo and Baylor wanted as well.

Ajay may be flying a little under the radar and is extremely good. He would be starting with certainty on many teams right now. In some ways he minds me of a younger lesser version of Brunson. I wouldn?t think twice on this trade.

[slightly biased bias fan]

Apparently Cason Wallace has just signed a five-year rookie-scale extension worth $139M.

This trade idea does not seem that far-fetched now. I cannot see how Oklahoma can afford to re-sign Mitchell too, especially given they are a small market team.

[Celtics4ever]

I don?t think it was Hugo by himself that stalled the trade, it was the totality of picks and pick swaps Hugo and Baylor wanted as well.

Ajay may be flying a little under the radar and is extremely good. He would be starting with certainty on many teams right now. In some ways he minds me of a younger lesser version of Brunson. I wouldn?t think twice on this trade.

The more I think what we got back for Brown, I get angry.  Everything predicates on that pick and how it pans out.

[Neurotic Guy]

I don?t think it was Hugo by himself that stalled the trade, it was the totality of picks and pick swaps Hugo and Baylor wanted as well.

Ajay may be flying a little under the radar and is extremely good. He would be starting with certainty on many teams right now. In some ways he minds me of a younger lesser version of Brunson. I wouldn?t think twice on this trade.

The more I think what we got back for Brown, I get angry.  Everything predicates on that pick and how it pans out.

Also matters how the team performs this year with PG.  I know JB is a more talented player at this point in their careers but it's not impossible that for a year PG may be the proverbial *better fit*.  Everyone gains from PG having a good year.  More competitive team, better trade options, another solid year of growth in a winning culture for the developing players.   

And then there is trade value, so with PG on an expiring next year, he becomes tradeable and that trade also matters when sizing up the value of the JB trade.   Packaging picks with PG and maybe one of the promising young players could be a lot of value. 

Anyway, I think the team is going to be fun to watch and competitive this year as long as they are healthy.

[slightly biased bias fan]

After the Jalen Williams injury, is this trade idea more realistic now?

[Celtics4ever]

Also matters how the team performs this year with PG.  I know JB is a more talented player at this point in their careers but it's not impossible that for a year PG may be the proverbial *better fit*.  Everyone gains from PG having a good year.  More competitive team, better trade options, another solid year of growth in a winning culture for the developing players.   

I think PG has been playing fantastic thus far.  I still see us having the same problems we had with Brown.  Blown leads and periods without scoring.  Tatum came through big last year.

I think some of the ceilings of our guys are becoming more visible thus far this year.   Yes, it is early,  but some guys have stepped up and some have not.

[Vermont Green]

After the Jalen Williams injury, is this trade idea more realistic now?

Not sure about how realistic in any case, but I think it is less likely now.  Ajay Mitchell is already a reliable rotation player for OKC.  They just lost a big part of their rotation.  Now does not seem like the time for OKC to trade away a proven commodity that plays every night, for a prospect who may be a couple of years away.

I like Hugo.  I am not looking to trade him, but would for the right deal.  Not sure this is the right deal for either team, especially not for BOS if they have to include a 1st, even with protections.  You can probably trade just the first for a better player than Ajay Mitchell, and quite likely draft a better player (albeit a draft pick is not as good right away).