Boston Celtics Rumors: 3 Pacers players that could be trade targets

Boston Celtics trade target No. 1: Domantas Sabonis

Domantas Sabonis is easily one of the most intriguing players in the NBA. His playstyle doesn’t exactly mesh with the current trends in basketball, but he still somehow makes it work. Sabonis really broke out in 2020 (when he averaged a 20.3 PPG/12 RPG/6.7 APG line), and while he hasn’t hit those heights so far this season, he’s still producing at a very high level (18.1 PPG, 11.6 RPG, 4.2 APG).

Sabonis’ ability to post a double-double on a seemingly nightly basis, while also being a triple-double threat too, makes him one of the top players in the league. As a result, if the Pacers ultimately decide to move on from Sabonis, they could charge quite a fee. But it’s a fee that the Celtics may just be able to fork over.

Sabonis has made his money as an elite scorer from inside the three point line. Sabonis has never been a strong three point shooter (he’s shooting just 28.6 percent from behind the arc this season), but he can control the game from the midrange or the paint, whether he is scoring or finding open teammates.

Sabonis has displayed elite passing abilities for a player of his size, and you can bet sliding him into a lineup with the likes of Tatum and Brown would boost his assist totals back up to where they were last season. He’s averaging 6.9 potential assists per game, so it’s not as if he isn’t making the necessary passes, it’s just he’s getting no help from his teammates. Putting Sabonis alongside Tatum and Brown would help take the offensive pressure off each player.

Similar to Turner, a trade for Sabonis would probably have to involve the likes of Horford or Smart, and then a couple of picks or prospects afterwards. The Pacers may not be ready to move Sabonis yet, but if they keep sliding, he may just become available. And if he does, the Boston Celtics should be one of the teams making the hardest push to bring on the talented big man.