O’Connor: Celtics pursuit of John Collins ‘also involves … Bogdan Bogdanovic’

Every hour that passes is an hour less for NBA teams to make a deal in the 2020-21 season, but it sounds like the Boston Celtics have at least one potential deal in mind they’d like to call in before the end of the March 25 business day.

According to The Athletic’s Kevin O’Connor, the Celtics have their eye on not just one but two Atlanta Hawks ahead of Thursday’s trade deadline. But, there may be some dominoes that need to fall first to trigger the exact circumstances needed to make such a trade happen, according to the Ringer analyst.

It isn’t news that the Celtics have been looking into Hawks forward John Collins, but word has been the asking price is a steep one.

Too steep perhaps for Boston, who have other priorities which may require assets to burn down the road. But what if that intel isn't quite right? Per O'Connor, Atlanta wants "one young player and a first-round draft pick to make a deal, or a package of similar value such as multiple first-round picks," a price the Celtics could seemingly match, depending on counteroffers. And with Collins pending free agency and potential flight risk, opposing teams may be reticent to go wild with an offer, but according to O'Connor there may be more to any potential trade proposal from the Celtics. https://twitter.com/TheCelticsWire/status/1373635566156222471?s=20

Noting that Boston doesn't have the luxury to wait until the offseason for Collins, O'Connor says the Celtics "pursuit of Collins also involves another key Hawks rotation player, according to league sources: Bogdan Bogdanovic." Evidently, Boston had asked after Bogdanovic when he was still with the Sacramento Kings, but clearly Atlanta won out. Now the calculus may have changed for the Hawks, however. "If the Hawks were to acquire Ball, maybe moving Bogdanovic would make some sense," suggests O'Connor. https://twitter.com/TheCelticsWire/status/1373680841776332806?s=20

Would such a trade make sense for the Celtics? From a financial perspective, Boston can put Collins salary into the traded player exception (TPE) created by moving Enes Kanter to the Portland Trail Blazers this offseason, and Bogdanovic easily slides into the larger, $28.5 million TPE created by Gordon Hayward's exit to the Charlotte Hornets. The Celtics could conceivably stay below the tax by finding a new home for Tristan Thompson as well. https://twitter.com/TheCelticsWire/status/1373767993713324034?s=20

Whether the cost in picks matches the potential the duo would have on the court is an open question that can only the front office can attempt to answer. But even if this rumor never takes on life, it is exactly the kind of creative thinking that Boston should explore if it is to try and make a move before the deadline. This post originally appeared on Celtics Wire. Follow us on Facebook! [lawrence-related id=48079,48060,48012,48004] [listicle id=48069]

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