Celtics trade pitch lands $195 million unicorn for 4-players and 2-picks

In some sense, the Boston Celtics are still one of the best teams in the NBA because of what they can do in the future. The Celtics own many of their future first-round picks, allowing them the opportunity to make a blockbuster trade if one becomes available that they want to make. 

In a recent trade idea from Matt Moore of FanSided, the Celtics would do just that in a deal with the Utah Jazz. The trade would move on from four players, including two picks, but return All-Star Lauri Markkanen. 

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Boston Celtics get: Lauri Markkanen

Utah Jazz get: Anfernee Simons, Sam Hauser, Georges Niang, Xavier Tillman, 2027 1st-round pick swap (top-10 protected), 2030 1st-round pick (top three-protected)

“Utah cashes in on Markkanen as they continue their rebuild. They have Ace Bailey and Isaiah Collier, which could be a great young core. You’ve already infuriated Bailey by drafting him where he didn’t want to go, now you can add to it by making him come off the bench...

“The pick assets are flexible here. This gives the Celtics a long-term, more available Porziņģis replacement. It messes with their cap-saving approach, but just a little, and puts them back into contention in the East even before Tatum gets back,” he wrote.

Markkanen, as Moore mentioned, would be a somewhat decent fit for the Celtics, considering what Kristaps Porzingis did when he was on the court. 

Unfortunately, Porzingis dealt with multiple injuries. Although Markkanen hasn't been available much, playing in 47 games last year and 55 the year before, he's an excellent 3-point shooter, and perhaps a bit better than Porzingis in certain areas. 

His best year came in the 2022-23 season, averaging 25.6 points and shooting 39.1% from 3-point range.