The big NBA headline on Wednesday was James Harden joining forces with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving on the Brooklyn Nets. However, that wasn’t the only notable move.
Part of the blockbuster deal involved the Indiana Pacers sending Victor Oladipo to the Houston Rockets for Caris LeVert, who Brooklyn originally sent to Houston. Oladipo, a two-time All-Star, is scheduled to become a free agent following the season.
Winners and losers from massive Harden trade
With Oladipo headed out west, NBC Sports Boston’s Brian Scalabrine believes he’s a player the Boston Celtics should have their eyes on as a potential trade target later on this season (video above).
“One guy I would keep my eye on is Victor Oladipo, who just got shipped off to Houston,” Scalabrine said Wednesday. “I think Houston wants to suck this year. I think they want to have a top-three pick, which is protected, and their pick is going to Oklahoma City if it falls outside of that. Victor Oladipo might be a guy the Celtics can go out there and get. They could use their trade exception, trade some young guys that are talented and go out there and I think, because he’s on an expiring contract, he fits in that mold of $20 million which is what the Celtics can spend right now without giving up a ton.
“I think if they could make something happen with this trade exception, we could be going into a series with the Nets saying, ‘I like us on paper better than them.’ Right now as constructed, no. But it depends on what they do with this trade exception. I can see how the Celtics could be in a position where we like our chances.”
Now that would be interesting.
Oladipo played a combined 55 games between the 2018-19 and 2019-20 campaigns due to a knee injury. The 28-year-old has looked 100 percent so far this season averaging 20.0 points, 5.7 rebounds and 4.2 assists through nine games.
