{"id":631164,"date":"2017-02-15T07:29:04","date_gmt":"2017-02-15T12:29:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/thesportsdaily.com\/?p=631164"},"modified":"2017-02-15T07:29:04","modified_gmt":"2017-02-15T12:29:04","slug":"your-morning-dump-where-terry-rozier-is-still-a-celtic","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thesportsdaily.com\/news\/your-morning-dump-where-terry-rozier-is-still-a-celtic\/","title":{"rendered":"Your Morning Dump\u2026 Where Terry Rozier is still a Celtic"},"content":{"rendered":"

Every morning, we compile the links of the day and dump them here\u2026 highlighting the big story line. Because there\u2019s nothing quite as satisfying as a good morning dump.<\/em><\/p>\n

But the team many expected to contend with the Cavs this season, fourth-place Toronto, has traded Terrence Ross and a first-round pick to Orlando for Serge Ibaka, which addresses their greatest need. In doing so, they automatically get back in the hunt for the top spot in the East.<\/em><\/p>\n

There was a report the Celtics shunned an Ibaka deal because they didn’t want to trade Terry Rozier. While a league source indicated that the Magic did, in fact, have internal discussions about a potential deal with Boston that would have included Rozier, multiple sources contacted on Tuesday said that Orlando’s preferred deal for Ibaka for the last several weeks has been to acquire Ross and a first-round pick.<\/em><\/p>\n

[\u2026]<\/em><\/p>\n

And from the Celtics’ perspective, giving up Rozier, Amir Johnson (most likely) and one of their two upcoming picks from Brooklyn just didn’t make a lot of sense since Ibaka who will be an unrestricted free agent this summer.<\/em><\/p>\n

So where does this leave the Celtics?<\/em><\/p>\n

While they are playing great basketball right now, they could benefit from having one more rebounding\/defensive frontcourt specialist to the mix.<\/em><\/p>\n

But adding such a player likely means trading away a couple of players from the current roster, which has been successful despite an assortment of key players being out with injuries and illnesses all season.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

CSNNE \u2013 Blakely: Celtics Weren’t Really In Running For Ibaka . . . But Do They Need Him?<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

There are two types of Celtics fans: those who want a trade sooner than later, and those who are willing to be patient. There was a lot of noise yesterday from the first group: \u201cWhat? We could\u2019ve had Ibaka for Terry Rozier? Why wouldn\u2019t Ainge do that?\u201d<\/p>\n

First, we don\u2019t know this is true. Second, the trade would not have been straight up for Rozier. Third, Ibaka would probably walk after the season because signing him would ruin Boston\u2019s salary cap flexibility to pursue bigger trades or higher-level free agents.<\/p>\n

Fourth, Ibaka is good but not great<\/a>. He now blocks about half the number of shots that he did when he led the league a few seasons ago. This season, he\u2019s averaging 6.8 rebounds per game. (Al Horford, who many fans complain isn\u2019t a rebounder, is averaging 6.7.) And here\u2019s another comparison:<\/p>\n

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pic.twitter.com\/d2IfUGFhgp<\/a><\/p>\n

— Jam Packard (@JamPackard) February 15, 2017<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n