If the Sixers or Nuggets wind up offering the Grizzlies a future first round pick in a potential trade for Tyreke Evans, expect the Celtics to sit this one out.
The Celtics are holding onto all of their future firsts, waiting until the time is right to strike for the final piece of the puzzle. As has been rumored for months, that final piece is Anthony Davis – and go-big or go-home Celtics boss Danny Ainge knows that he needs to hold onto every single last asset in order to entice the Pelicans to do a deal.
Ainge is a realist in that he knows a player like Evans won’t propel them over-the-top in order to beat Golden State. Only a player the caliber of Davis would do the trick, and as he has done countless times – Ainge is a master at player the waiting game and letting situations elsewhere in the league blow-up (Kevin Garnett in Minnesota, Kyrie Irving in Cleveland most notably).
Yahoo’s Shams Charania posted on Twitter yesterday that the Sixers are the team most likely to look at trading for Evans.
Charania: “I think [Philadelphia] will] be looking at the Marco Belinelli’s, the Tyreke Evans’, a shooter or playmaker. I think that’s the one move they can potentially make to move up in the East.”
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski was high on the potential of the Nuggets landing Evans on NBA Trade Deadline day.
Wojnarowski: “One team that could play immense part in dictating final hours of trade deadline: Denver. They’re active on several fronts, including trying to acquire Tyreke Evans, move Emmanuel Mudiay and Wilson Chandler, and use pick to incentivize a team to take on Kenneth Faried’s contract.”
