Former 2nd-Round Draft Pick Floated As Logical Trade Target For Celtics

The Boston Celtics are expected to be active ahead of the Feb. 5 trade deadline. Brad Stevens began the retooling process during the summer, trading away Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis, while also allowing Luke Kornet and Al Horford to leave in free agency.

While the center position is undoubtedly the most significant area of need, Brad Stevens may also look for some additional guard depth, especially if Anfernee Simons emerges as a genuine trade chip.

In a recent article from The Athletic, Sam Vecenie shared two logical trade targets for Boston. Vecenie pinpointed Ayo Dosunmu of the Chicago Bulls as someone who could make a legitimate impact within the Celtics’ second unit.

“Dosunmu, on a $7.5 million expiring contract, would not necessarily be a blockbuster addition,” Vecenie wrote. “Quietly, though, he has shown progress in Chicago, averaging 15.2 points per game on extremely efficient 64.8 percent true shooting. The Celtics could need another guard if they move Simons, but they will be mindful of the financial impact of any trade.”

Having played in 24 games so far this season, Dosunmu is averaging 14.1 points, 2.5 rebounds and 3 assists per game, shooting 51.5% from the field and 45.7% from three-point range.

The Chicago Bulls drafted Dosunmu with the 38th pick in the 2021 NBA Draft. He’s been a regular in the team’s rotation ever since, and could potentially add an additional spark to Joe Mazzulla’s second unit, assuming Anfernee Simons is moved on.

Boston is unlikely to move from one expiring deal to another. Furthermore, once Jayson Tatum returns to the rotation and Payton Pritchard likely moves back to the bench, it’s hard to envision how much of a role Dosunmu (or any other additional guard) will have moving forward. And, for that reason, it’s difficult to envision the Celtics making that move.