3 moves the Celtics can make after trading for Al Horford

2. Re-sign Evan Fournier

It would behoove the Celtics to retain their big addition from last year’s trade deadline, because the contrary would be pretty bad. He’s a good theoretical fit with Brown and Tatum as a shooter, and his playmaking flare definitely plays up in Horford lineups.

Evan Fournier’s stats as a Celtic don’t scream “core member,” but they’re also tough to validate. He got COVID-19 soon after the trade and continued to suffer from its after-effects nearly a month later. The sample size in general is pretty small: 16 games, 472 minutes and 172 field goal attempts.

This decision is not a walk in the park—retaining Fournier guarantees that the Celtics pay the luxury tax next season—but losing him for nothing would be even worse. He’s a good player, he’s in his prime, and he fits well with the core. It’s a simple move if the franchise wants to contend in the near future.

3. Prepare for next summer

And by “near future,” I do not mean next year. It’s tough to see this team contending for a title in 2021-22. I’ve outlined the roadblocks it will face when creating offense, and the defense will probably run into problems if Horford is its linchpin.

Boston’s best chance to become a top-tier contender will be in the summer of 2022, when it only owes guaranteed money to Tatum ($30.4 million), Brown ($26.7 million), Horford ($14.5 million) and its rookie-scale team options (up to $18 million). Even when including Fournier’s next contract, major cap space can be created pretty easily.

That’s why Stevens shouldn’t pull out the big guns just yet. Boston isn’t exactly loaded with artillery right now, especially not after trading No. 16 to go from Walker to Horford. Unless a “can’t miss” opportunity comes along, Stevens should use this time to gear up for greener pastures down the line.