Celtics Trade Value Power Rankings: Part 4
BOSTON (CBS) – With one month of the NBA season in the books, it's time for another edition of Celtics Trade Value Power Rankings. We spent the preseason looking at the bottom half of the roster in the first three parts of the series, but it's now time to piece together the value of premier members of the roster. As a reminder, here's a look at the rankings for the players we've analyzed in the rankings so far.
15. David Lee
14. Evan Turner
13. Jonas Jerebko
12. Terry Rozier
11. James Young
10. Jordan Mickey
9. R.J. Hunter
8. Jared Sullinger
Keep in mind, these rankings don't translate into only a player's value on the court. Instead, factors such as age, contract length, salary, injury history and performance are all factors in these rankings.
It's an imperfect list, simply because there is so much overlapping and inexperienced talent on certain parts of the Celtics' roster. Valid cases can and will be made that certain names should be higher and/or lower. Debate is welcomed here. With that said, let's get to the fourth installment on the list (players 7-5).
7. Tyler Zeller
Age: 25
Experience: 3 years
Contract situation: Final year of rookie deal, earning $2.61 million. Will be restricted free agent after season.
2015-16 Stats: 4.5 PPG, 1.7 RPG, 0.5 APG, 8.2 MPG
No player has seen his trade stock take a bigger hit during the first month of the season than Zeller. The impending free agent lost his starting job after three games and quickly fell out of the rotation thereafter most nights, thanks to a logjam in the frontcourt and a loss of confidence in his offensive game.
It's been a challenge for Zeller to deal with these circumstances after being one of Boston's most reliable contributors last season, averaging 10 points and five rebounds per game. Even though he's not playing in Boston for the time being, it doesn't necessarily mean he doesn't have much trade value around the league. His track record shows him to be a rotation big man and his modest price tag for this season makes him an appealing piece for some team that may want to invest in the big man for the rest of his 20s. In the meantime, the waiting game continues for Zeller, as he awaits opportunity via injury or trade to see more minutes on the floor and prove his worth.
6. Kelly Olynyk
Age: 24
Experience: 2 years
Contract situation: Third year of rookie deal, earning $2.2 million. Will be restricted free agent after 2016-17 season.
2015-16 Stats: 7.6 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 1.5 APG, 17.5 MPG
Olynyk's trade value is comparable to the unpredictable New England weather: you never quite know what to expect with it. Performances like Thursday's 21 point outing against the Kings, where Olynyk showed a healthy mix of moves from the interior and distance exhibit the potential of the former Gonzaga star. However, inconsistency has still loomed large for the big man in year three, despite some noticeable gains with Boston's defensive numbers with the seven-footer on the floor.
With one more year remaining on his rookie deal, Olynyk's low price tag could be appealing to suitors but he's also on the older side (age: 24) for a third-year player, with a lower ceiling than others. Big men who can shoot though will always have a place in the league right now, so if Boston elects to clear up some glut in the frontcourt, Olynyk should be a popular target for opposing GMs.
5. Amir Johnson
Age: 28
Experience: 10 years
Contract situation: First year of two-year contract, earning $12 million per year. Second year of the deal is non-guaranteed before July 3rd 2016.
2015-16 Stats: 7.4 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 1.8 APG, 23.1 MPG
One of the more underrated signings of the summer in the NBA was Johnson at what is essentially a one-year deal for the Cs. He's been up-and-down during the first month of the year, but appears to be finding a rhythm within Brad Stevens' schemes during the past couple weeks alongside Jared Sullinger in the starting five.
His $12 million salary seems somewhat pricy on the surface, but makes for an ideal candidate as useful salary filler if the Celtics want to go after a high-priced trade target during the year. Johnson's non-guaranteed salary for next year also is a terrific chip for deals, since it allows for sign-and-trade possibilities during the first few days of free agency.
That kind of flexibility is hard to come by for teams in the NBA these days, especially with a useful rotation big like Johnson. His prime days may be behind him, but his value for Boston is tied to his contract, making him a top-5 asset for Ainge.
Upcoming: Trade Value Power Rankings Part 5: The Final Edition.
Brian Robb covers the Celtics for CBS Boston and contributes to NBA.com, among other media outlets. You can follow him on Twitter @CelticsHub.
