If Evan Turner Gets Bought Out, Celtics Will Reportedly Be Interested In Reunion
By Matthew Geagan, CBS Boston
BOSTON (CBS) -- If the Boston Celtics don't make any deals ahead of Thursday's NBA trade deadline, they're expected to scour the buyout market for some veteran help. That help may come from an old friend.
Evan Turner was part of Tuesday night's blockbuster four-team swap that sent Robert Covington from Minnesota to Houston and Clint Capela from Houston to Atlanta. Turner was one of the 12 players to change teams in the deal, moving from Atlanta to Minnesota, though he isn't expected to be a member of the Timberwolves for very long. Turner is expected to be bought out and become a free agent.
Once that happens, the Boston Celtics and Miami Heat will be interested in adding his services, according to Sean Deveney of Heavy.com. While interesting, it would be a curious fit for the 2019-20 Boston Celtics.
Turner enjoyed two very successful years in Boston, averaging 10 points, five rebounds and five assists as Brad Stevens' Swiss Army knife. He did whatever the coach asked of him, played any role the coach asked of him, and was a valuable asset off the Boston bench on an overachieving Celtics squad. It earned him a hefty payday too, with Portland giving Turner a four-year, $70 million contract in 2016.
While Turner was solid in his first turn with the Celtics, and he probably owes Stevens for that monster contract he received, he might not be a great fit for this year's team. The Celtics need size and/or shooting off the bench, and Turner doesn't really help in either department. He barely played for the Hawks as they shifted their focus toward younger players, averaging just 3.3 points over his 19 games. And he isn't a very good three-point shooter, hitting just 29.4 percent of his shots from downtown for his career.
There's also the little matter of a roster spot, in that the Celtics don't have one for Turner or any other veteran they may pick up on the buyout market. At least at the moment, unless Boston does a 2-for-1 trade ahead of Thursday's 3 p.m. deadline. If that doesn't happen, it's highly unlikely that Danny Ainge will move on from Brad Wanamaker, Javonte Green or big man Vincent Poirier to bring in a player that doesn't even address any of Boston's needs.
And it's really not imperative for the Celtics to add at the deadline or after. They're pretty darn good at 34-15, sitting in third in the Eastern Conference, and no one they pickup will put them on even ground with the Milwaukee Bucks. A little more size may help against Giannis or Joel Embiid, but the current core is what Boston is going to throw at opponents in the playoffs. That's really all that matters right now.
While it's always fun to picture the return of a fan favorite, there will likely be better options for the Celtics than Evan Turner after Thursday, options that would better address their needs the rest of the way.
