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What's the rumor?
The Boston Celtics have made an excellent start to the season, although the team still lacks an elite big that can match up with the best centers in the East. Due to this, the Celtics are believed to be in the market to sign an experienced center, and Sean Deveney of Heavy.com is reporting that LaMarcus Aldridge is among the men that the Celtics are interested in. However, Deveney states that a trade will be difficult due to the fact that Gordon Hayward would need to be included in a potential deal:
Aldridge makes some sense, but he is 34 and has slowed a bit. The Celtics almost certainly would need to trade Gordon Hayward and take back some salary to make an Aldridge deal work and they’d be reluctant to do that.
In case you didn't know...
Despite turning 34 earlier this year, Aldridge remains one of the NBA's most consistent big men. The San Antonio star has missed out on All-Star selection just once since 2012 and is this season averaging 18.3 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 2.3 assists in 32.4 minutes per contest.
Meanwhile, Hayward's first two seasons with the Celtics were impacted by injuries, however, the 29-year-old returned to form during the opening weeks of the campaign. Over eight appearances, Hayward averaged 18.9 points and 7.1 rebounds per game, and he is expected to make his return from a fractured hand in December.
The heart of the matter
While it is evident that the Celtics need a quality big, it would make little sense to trade Hayward following his resurgent start to the season. Due to this, the Celtics are likely to look elsewhere, although Aldridge's days with the Spurs look numbered - and he could complete a trade to a rival team.
What's next?
Boston will be looking to pick up a 12th win of the season when they face the LA Clippers on Wednesday. Meanwhile, the struggling Spurs are hoping to end their six-game losing streak as they take on the Washington Wizards.
Guess the Lakers players!
