It’s NBA trade season. As one of the best teams in the league, the Boston Celtics will likely avoid being a primary name in the rumor mill. That doesn’t mean we won’t get the odd trickle of information, though. After all, no team is perfect. There’s always an area that you could improve, regardless of whether it’s at the front or back end of the rotation.
A common theme surrounding the Celtics this season has been finding one more big man. It’s not that Luke Kornet cannot fulfill his role as Boston’s third big. In fact, he’s emerging as one of the better third-string centers in the league. Instead, it’s about having optionality during games.
During the off-season, Joe Mazzulla spoke of his desire to have curveballs. Having players that provide different things is one way of having that curveball. That brings me to Andre Drummond.
On Monday, HoopsHype’s Micahel Scotto reported that Drummond is a name the Celtics have reportedly shown interest in. The veteran big man has impressed during a seven-game stretch as the Chicago Bulls starter throughout late December and early January. He’s also been impressive off the bench for Billy Donovan’s team.
Historically, I’ve been opposed to the idea of bringing him into the rotation. Not because he isn’t a talented center, but because Boston has generally utilized a switch one-through-five defensive system. The system is different now, though. Boston utilizes a drop scheme with one-through-four switching and providing gap/nail help.
Drummond could be a legitimate rim protector as a drop defender. Most importantly, though, he could provide elite-level rebounding help. This season, he resides in the 100th percentile for percentage of available defensive boards secured, grabbing 31.8% of misses when he’s on the court. There also hasn’t been a season in his career when he’s been outside the top 10% of rebounding big men in the NBA.
With a strong frame, good size, and an insatiable hunger for securing boards, Drummond would elevate the Celtics into arguably the best rebounding team in the NBA. He would have Jrue Holiday — arguably the best rebounding guard in the NBA, Jayson Tatum, Al Horford, and Kristaps Porzing is all providing valuable assistance on the glass, too.
Furthermore, Drummond’s physicality would be a welcomed addition to the rotation. I’m not of the belief that the Celtics lack toughness. Instead, I see toughness the same way I see leadership: It can come in multiple forms. However, there’s no denying that when teams increase their physicality against the Celtics, things start to become a little more difficult.
You don’t get much more physical than Drummond. His size and strength would give the Celtics a pivot point when dealing with teams that want to play bully ball. Yes, I’m thinking of the Miami Heat and Orlando Magic as primary examples. Oh, and then we have his screening ability. You can imagine the space that he could generate for some of Boston’s primary ball-handlers as a go-to screener in the half-court?
