The Boston Celtics enjoy interpreting the deadline as gospel. They didn’t even talk to the Houston Rockets until well after 2:00 p.m. ET in 2022, when they brought Daniel Theis back. This year, one of the final transactions completed before the 3 p.m. deadline was their acquisition of Philadelphia 76ers wing Jaden Springer.
Big Xavier Tillman was acquired by the Celtics on Wednesday for the cost of two second round picks. It is now reported that the Sixers will receive a 2024 second round pick from the more advantageous Chicago or New Orleans, which is most likely to be Chicago.
What does Springer bring to the table? Jay King and Jared Weiss of The Athletic talked about why Brad Stevens made the move for Tillman on Thursday morning.
Jay King: agility, vigor, and defense. This season, he is averaging 2.4 steals and 1.1 blocks per 36 minutes, which is less than what he did the previous year. He is a very good guard.
That does not imply that he will play frequently. It is likely that he will not be included in the Celtics rotation. Why? There are some obvious offensive shortcomings with Springer. His career 3-point shooting percentage is dismal, even in the G League. He has made 10 of 42 3-point tries (23.8%) in his limited NBA play. If his downtown accuracy stays that bad, it will be difficult for him to establish much of a role.
Still, this seems like another smart move by the Celtics front office. Springer has the traits to become a defensive stopper if he ever gets good enough offensively to stay on the court. At 21, he’s three years younger than Dalano Banton and has a team option for next season. This probably wasn’t a rotation upgrade for Boston, but a depth move to push forward the end of the bench and bring in another young player with upside.
Jared Weiss: He’s an upgrade over Banton in that he can do something the Celtics might need in the playoffs. Springer played twice this week and his main role was to cover Stephen Curry and Luka Dončić. That was the biggest thing missing in Boston’s deep reserve, someone they could throw in the game to ensure an opposing star doesn’t lead a 12-2 run. You could see him annoying Curry and Dončić on every possession, pressing them full-court and sticking to them on or off the ball to ensure they didn’t get comfortable.
