NBA Trade Rumors: 5 possible trade destinations for DeAndre Jordan

2. Boston Celtics

The Boston Celtics are absolutely rolling right now, winners of 16 of their last 18 games. A lot of people were ready to count this team out when Gordon Hayward was lost for the season on opening night, but the Celtics look like a legitimate contender for the Eastern Conference title. However, this Boston group still doesn’t look like a serious match for the mighty Warriors, and general manager Danny Ainge is always looking for ways to improve his roster.

Acquiring Jordan would be a risk for Boston from a chemistry perspective, as the organization may not want to buck things right now. Jordan may also struggle a bit in adjusting to head coach Brad Stevens’ system, but Stevens has shown a propensity for getting the most out of every player he coaches. Jordan would give the Celtics a dominant rim protector that would also allow fellow big man Al Horford to slide over to his natural position at the 4-spot. The opportunity to land Jordan is something that the Boston brass would have to at least discuss internally.

Boston is stocked with talent, but figuring out who to give up in a trade for Jordan is tricky. Rookie Jayson Tatum seems like an obvious candidate at first glance, but he’s been so impressive thus far that he’d probably be the top pick in the 2017 NBA Draft if they held it again today. As a result, Jaylen Brown is probably a more realistic target for the Clippers.

The financials of a deal sending Jordan to the Celtics pose a serious challenge thanks to the dramatic disparity in their respective salaries, which may mean a third team is required to get involved. Ainge has a history of finding ways to get deals done.