CelticsBlog mailbag answer: a roundtable on a Rozier trade

mg050369 asks, “Rozier swaps have become a recent fanpost favorite. Are you able to construct a reasonable trade which doesn’t diminish their current roster and ensures they get a significant return?”

Jeff Clark: NOPE. Sorry, that’s glib. I just have a hard time finding a trade that makes sense for the present and the future. I’d rather keep him around. Not just for “insurance” or “depth” but because he’s a dynamic option for this team on both ends of the court. Yes, there’s a risk of “losing him for nothing” but there’s also an opportunity to win it all with him.

Of course, with all that said, I would understand if a desperate GM made Danny and offer, I wouldn’t blame him for listening.

Bobby Manning: Unfortunately, Phoenix traded their valuable 2021 Heat pick that has a chance to fall in the first draft following the potential demise of the one-and-done rule. That leaves Suns picks and a heavily protected Bucks pick in drafts the C’s are already loaded in. Short term it’s hard to see draft picks high enough or without protections that would push the C’s beyond Rozier’s current value. With any level of advancement beyond his productive leap in 2018, he could be the most important player on Boston’s bench given his scoring ability, not to mention his role as Irving insurance. A trade for a player with more cost-controlled years, such as Malik Monk in Charlotte, is unlikely given the salary Rozier would immediately command next summer. In the other direction, adding salary, Boston can’t exceed the luxury tax making the prospect of maintaining their talent level while sending out Rozier more difficult. The C’s still aren’t in much of a position to send out much salary given the amount they have tied to Gordon Hayward, Al Horford and Kyrie Irving. So beyond a team like the Magic or Knicks reaching with unprotected draft picks to try and solve their point guard issues, it’s still hard for me to envision a trade that sends Rozier out while helping the 2019 Celtics’ goals.

Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

Bill Sy: If I’m Ainge, the two things I’m looking for in any deal that includes Terry Rozier is 1) a young player that can contribute right away and 2) a team-friendly contract and one that preferably has 2-3 years left. I doubt Riley bites on this, but what about:

Celtics get: Josh Richardson

Heat get: Terry Rozier, Marcus Morris, Celtics 2019 pick

After next season, JRich still has two more cost-controlled years left and a player option. He’s a defense first, do-it-all guard that would slot perfectly behind Kyrie Irving and Jaylen Brown and next to Marcus Smart on the second unit.

There would have to be some assurances from Kyrie that he’d re-sign next summer of course, but in the event that Irving walks, Boston would still be getting that middle class contract of a young, productive player that they could deal down the road. For what it’s worth, I’m a big fan of Scary Terry, but I just don’t see the Celtics re-signing him next summer.