The Wilson Chandler Trades, Part I: The Eastern Conference
By Tim Hart
Boston Celtics
ESPN’s NBA Trade Machine Results: Celtics Unaffected, Nuggets Unaffected
Another trade forged in balance. However, this would cost the Celtics about $2 million, which is hardly off-putting.
Why the Celtics would do it:
They would have an excellent sixth-man in Chandler. The Celtics seem pleased with the play of Jae Crowder, and aren’t likely to get rid of him any time soon. So, swapping out a rookie SF (Brown) and a second/third string PF (Jerebko) for a proven and more-than worthy backup for Crowder’s SF spot (Chandler) could save them time and effort.
The Celtics’ starting 5 would go untouched, but they would have Wilson Chandler as their first bench option. He would be a versatile, proven, and well-rounded addition to Boston’s roster. At very little cost too.
Why the Nuggets would do it:
Jerebko is capable of spreading the floor as a PF. The Nuggets seem to be after players like this. While Jerebko is no star PF, he may be a welcome addition to Denver. With Will Barton as their reigning and deserving 6th-man, the Nuggets could afford losing Chandler as a bench option. Adding Jerebko in his place would be a very low-risk option. Plus, who knows, maybe Jerebko would see a late blossom in Denver.
Rookie SF Jaylen Brown would be in great company with the young Denver Nuggets. He could become a valuable addition to their young core of Mudiay, Harris, Jokic, Nurkic, Murray, Beasley, and Jernangomez. If these young players had a few years to calibrate as a unit, they could turn into a seriously impressive force.
Next: Brooklyn Nets