Celtics reportedly have Willy Hernangomez on their trade radar
BOSTON -- The trade winds are blowing around the Boston Celtics, with the NBA's deadline day just over two weeks away. Rumors surrounding bigs that could hep boost Boston's depth continue to be the focal point of such rumors.
Last week, it was San Antonio big man Jakob Poeltl. On Tuesday, a new big emerged as a potential Celtics trade target: New Orleans' Willy Hernangomez.
Hernangomez is on Boston's radar -- as well as the trade radar of the Miami Heat -- according to Eurohoops.net. The 28-year-old has spent the last three seasons with the Pelicans, but is having trouble getting the playing time he desires under the likes of Zion Williamson, Jonas Valanciunas, and Larry Nance Jr. on New Orleans' depth chart.
Hernangomez has put up some solid numbers this year, averaging 6.9 points and 4.6 rebounds over just 11.9 minutes of playing time per game. He's a strong rebounder, and while the C's have been pretty good on the glass this season, they could always use some more depth in the frontcourt.
With Robert Williams and Al Horford getting nights off to manage their minutes leading up to the postseason, Brad Stevens is expected to add some size to the roster in the coming weeks, whether via trade or through the buyout market. Hernangomez would give Joe Mazzulla another solid big to toss out there, joining Luke Kornet and Blake Griffin as the team's depth pieces down low.
He's also pretty inexpensive too, carrying a $2.4 million salary for this season with a team option of $2.5 million for next year. That would be easy to fit into the team's books this year and next, and Stevens could even pick him up for one of the team's TPEs.
The Pelicans are not a rebuilding team though, currently occupying the four-seed in the Western Conference, and they're going to want something in return for Hernangomez. He could potentially be dealt for a second-round pick or two, but if enough teams get into the fray, the Pels' asking price could potentially jump to a first rounder.
It's also important to note that the deals that Brad Stevens has swung since taking over as president of basketball ops. have come out of nowhere. The announcement of the trades are usually the first anyone has heard of them.
We'll see if that continues to be the case this trade season. The NBA trade deadline is set for Feb. 9 at 3 p.m.
