Celtics Make Huge Al Horford Mistake in Latest Projected Trade

The Boston Celtics are 18-4 on the season and once again look like the title favorites. As they are chasing back-to-back championships, the Celtics have one of the most talented and deep rosters in the NBA.

That doesn't mean, however, that the front office will not be searching for ways to improve the roster. GM Brad Stevens has been a wizard since taking over in the front office, aggressively and brilliantly making moves to build the perfect roster around Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.

The Celtics are limited in what they can do on the trade market. Since they are a second-apron team, they can't aggregate salaries or take back more money than they send out. This restricts their maneuvering possibilities, but Matt Levine of Sports Illustrated still proposed a fascinating trade. In this mock trade scenario, the Celtics send Al Horford and draft capital to the Jazz in exchange for Walker Kessler and Patty Mills.

The biggest reason the Celtics would make a trade like this would be to save money. Horford makes $9.5 million this season, while Kessler and Mills combine for $5 million. It also makes the Celtics a younger team, replacing their 38-year-old big man with a 23-year-old potentially elite defender.

Even though extending their title window by getting younger makes some sense on paper, this trade would be a big mistake for the Celtics. Kessler has a ton of upside as a rim protector but he is still an unproven center. Mills is way past his prime and can no longer make an impact on a serious team.

Horford is still extremely valuable to this team. His 3-and-D ability fits Joe Mazzulla's system perfectly, allowing the Celtics to play five-out at all times. Plus, he is still one of the best Giannis Antetokounmpo defenders in the league, a skillset that could prove very important in the playoffs once again.

The Celtics would be better suited to keep their powder dry and save their first-round picks for an upgrade. Trading Horford while he is still playing at a high level should be non-negotiable.

More Celtics news and rumors: