The big headline in the NBA on Wednesday was James Harden joining forces with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving at the Brooklyn Nets. However, this was not the only notable move.
Part of the blockbuster business involved the Indiana Pacers sending Victor Oladipo to the Houston Rockets by Caris LeVert, which Brooklyn originally sent to Houston. Oladipo, twice All-Star, is scheduled to become a free agent after the season.
Harden’s massive trade winners and losers
With Oladipo facing west, Brian Scalabrine of NBC Sports Boston believes he is a player that the Boston Celtics should be looking at as a potential target for trade later this season (video above).
“One guy I would keep an eye on is Victor Oladipo, who has just been sent to Houston,” Scalabrine said on Wednesday. “I think Houston wants to be shit this year. I think they want to have a choice in the top three, which is protected, and their choice will go to Oklahoma City if not so. Victor Oladipo may be a guy that the Celtics can go there and get it. They could use the exchange exception, negotiate some talented young people and go there and I think that since he has an expired contract, he fits into that $ 20 million mold that is what the Celtics can spend now without giving up a ton.
“I think if they could make something happen with this commercial exception, we could go on a series with the Nets saying, ‘I like us more on paper than they do. At the moment, as built, no. But it depends on what they do with that exchange exception. I can see how the Celtics can be in a position where we like our chances. “
Now that would be interesting.
Oladipo played 55 games between the 2018-19 and 2019-20 campaigns due to a knee injury. The 28-year-old has looked at 100 percent so far this season, averaging 20.0 points, 5.7 rebounds and 4.2 assists in nine games.