Two Western Conference teams made upgrades to their depth on Friday with the help of the Boston Celtics.
In separate deals the Grizzlies reportedly acquired Jeff Green (the deal has not yet been officially announced, but Marc Stein said the deal had been agreed upon) and the Suns netted Brandan Wright from Boston.
A huge upgrade
Why did the Grizzlies want Green?
Green has averaged 17 points per game over the previous two seasons.
Grizzlies’ starting small forwards have contributed little offensively in that time, averaging 6.5 points and shooting 28.8 percent from 3-point range, both NBA-worsts.
Multiple ways of scoring
Green is one of the most versatile scorers in the NBA. He entered Friday ranked third in points per play as a pick-and-roll ball-handler and seventh in points per post-up play among players with at least 50 plays in each play type.
Green and Jimmy Butler are the only players in the top 10 in both categories this season.
Wright efficient and a deterrent
Wright doesn’t shoot often, but when he does, the ball goes in the basket. He’s shooting 72 percent from the field, highest in the NBA for anyone who has taken at least 100 shots this season.
Wright also averages 2.9 blocks per 36 minutes. Entering Friday, that ranked fourth in the NBA, a hair behind both Bismack Biyombo and Anthony Davis. Rudy Gobert leads the league at 3.7 per 36.
This was a case of the Suns adding to one of their strengths. They entered Friday ranked 10th in the NBA in blocked shots per game.
The benefit to the Celtics
If the Celtics net a first-round pick in this deal, they’d be likely to have 11 first-round picks in the next four drafts (two in 2015, 2017 and 2018, and four in 2016, plus the pick they get for Green).
Tayshaun Prince’s expiring contract (likely to come for Green) would be of little consequence. The Celtics would be projected to have only $33.5 million in guaranteed contracts next season, more than $30 million under the projected salary cap.
