There have been a handful of analysts floating a trade proposal that would send Toronto Raptors small forward Otto Porter, Jr. to the Boston Celtics ahead of the NBA’s 2024 trade deadline. But not all league analysts think that’s a wise move for Boston.
Among them is Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley, who writes that as Celtics team president Brad Stevens and the rest of the Celtics’ front office “sift through the bargain bin, it’s possible Otto Porter Jr. might warrant a second glance. He’s a 6-foot-8 swingman who can line up anywhere along the frontcourt, plus he has championship experience and a career 39.7 3-point percentage to boot.”
“If Boston makes a move for a depth piece, though, it will want to find a reliable reserve,” notes the B/R analyst.
Celtics Lab 239: Previewing Boston's 2024 NBA trade deadline possibilities with Jack Simone https://t.co/YylXtT2oMt pic.twitter.com/Lurc0mNHwm
— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) February 6, 2024
“Porter simply can’t be that due to a lengthy injury history,” recounts Buckley. “He played fewer than 30 games in three of the past four seasons, and he’s only made 15 appearances in this one.”
“Even on Boston’s budget, it can find someone more trustworthy than Porter,” he suggests, and we are inclined to agree. Even if healthy, it is unclear that Porter can provide better options on either end than players already on the roster.
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