The Boston Celtics were the greatest club in the NBA throughout the bulk of the 2023-24 season. This demonstrates how well-organized the entire roster is after the team loaded up on more studs (Kristaps Porzingis, Jrue Holiday) throughout the offseason. Their current roster provides the best opportunity for Jayson Tatum and company to win the team’s 18th championship.
The Celtics currently boast not just the league’s best record, but also the best net rating. They are currently outscoring their opponents by 10.3 points per 100 possessions, implying that the Celtics’ average game is a blowout. Thus, they didn’t need to make any game-changing signings at the trade deadline to solidify their status as contenders, because every club in the league (save the current champion Denver Nuggets) is looking up to them.
Celtics’ greatest error at the 2024 NBA trade deadline: Using Lamar Stevens to match the salary in the Xavier Tillman Sr. transaction.
Make no mistake, the Celtics’ decision to trade Lamar Stevens for Xavier Tillman Sr. was not a huge blunder. Stevens hasn’t played a lot of minutes for the Celtics, and adding Tillman makes perfect sense for a playoff-bound club. Should Boston have traded Stevens for someone else instead?
The Celtics acquired Stevens in the offseason after he was dismissed by the San Antonio Spurs, and the 26-year-old forward quickly won over the organization’s important members. In the aftermath of the trade, Jayson Tatum went so far as to describe Stevens a “key guy” to their squad because of his “personality and how hard he worked”. Tatum even admitted that the locker room misses Stevens’ presence.
These are the types of individuals who can be extremely beneficial to a squad with competitive goals. It is critical to maintain the locker room atmosphere. If Lamar Stevens was truly beloved by players like Tatum, he was a vital component of the team despite his little contributions on the court.
Plus, if postseason viability is on the Celtics’ mind, why did they opt to trade Stevens, who might at least provide the club with a few minutes on the wing if Boston gets into a lot of foul trouble? Stevens doesn’t attempt to do too much when on the court. But it’s a guarantee that he’ll give it his all every time he plays.
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Lamar Stevens has scored in double figures in each of his first three games with the Memphis Grizzlies, averaging 12.3 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per game. The Grizzlies have gone 2-1 during that time, including a tremendous victory over the Milwaukee Bucks despite being so undermanned.
Given the Celtics’ depth, Stevens would always struggle to gain consistent playing time. However, he is demonstrating that he is a valuable asset to have both as a locker room player and as a potential break glass player if the Celtics needed one on the wing.
Perhaps the Celtics might have replaced Stevens with Sviatoslav Mykhailuk, whose skill set overlaps with a superior player on the roster (Sam Hauser). Boston could have traded Oshae Brissett, or if they were going to move Dalano Banton, they could have included his salary in the transaction with the Grizzlies.
Again, the Celtics’ acquisition of Xavier Tillman Sr. was not a mistake. Tillman has playoff experience and provides vital, playoff-viable insurance behind Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford, while Luke Kornet may be more vulnerable when guarding in space in the playoffs. Tillman’s defensive numbers are also impressive, and the fact that the Celtics acquired him for two second-round selections is a significant victory.
This is not to imply that dealing away Lamar Stevens was a terrible mistake. At worst, it is a small issue. Stevens played 122 minutes with the Celtics; he’ll hit that figure with the Grizzlies in no time. But, since we’re arguing hairs over what was a generally strong trade deadline for the Celtics, it’s not difficult to imagine them pulling off the same Tillman trade without losing Stevens.
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