We heard over the weekend that the Celtics asked for Gobert and Naz Reid in a Jaylen Brown trade. How might things had changed if they had gotten that done?
Back in July, the Boston Celtics traded superstar Jaylen Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers for former All-Star Paul George and multiple draft picks.
However, over the weekend, we learned that the C's had conversations with the Minnesota Timberwolves about a deal centering on a return of Rudy Gobert and Naz Reid.
The Timberwolves ultimately felt that that was too much, but it's interesting to wonder: How might things have changed if Boston had acquired that duo?
Let's have a little fun and take a look.
How might the NBA Draft have changed?
Well, the NBA Draft began on June 23, so there's no guarantee that a deal would have been finished by then, but if it had been?
It's fair to wonder if the Celtics ever draft big man Chris Cenac Jr. out of Houston in the first round. While Reid actually attempted near six 3-pointers a game last season, at 6-foot-9, he still has the ability to operate in the post, so would the Celtics have considered Gobert, Neemias Queta, Luka Garza, and the positional flexibility of Reid as enough?
How might free agency have changed?
On that note: If the Celtics had acquired the two players, do they need to go out and sign Mitchell Robinson to a three-year deal in free agency?
Again, Gobert, Reid, Queta and Garza might have been enough for the team's post component. If they had still drafted Cenac, it seems like that really would have been enough.
The $48 million that went to Robinson seems like it could have been re-routed somewhere else.
Minnesota Timberwolves center Naz Reid (11) reacts before the game against the Denver Nuggets during game two of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Ball Arena. Ron Chenoy-Imagn ImagesAnd what about Paul George?
On that note: If Boston doesn't send Brown to Philadelphia, they never get George. So, how do they handle the wing position around Jayson Tatum? Would the money that went to Robinson have gone to a wing? Would they have trusted Reid to really be a Brown replacement, essentially taking him out of the post?
Would they have traded one of Reid or Gobert in an effort to bring in the wing they needed in another deal?
Or, would they have felt comfortable giving Brown's role to Hugo Gonzalez or Bayler Scheierman?
And what about the style of play?
The Celtics still seem destined to be a three-point shooting team, but if they had both Reid and Gobert? Again, it kind of depends on how they view Reid. If they let him become more of a perimeter player, then they could have stayed that way. If they pushed him more into the post, then maybe the entire philosophy of the team would have changed.
Up next
The Celtics will report to training camp later this month before opening up the preseason slate on Oct. 8. They'll open the regular season on Oct. 20 at the Detroit Pistons.
