The Boston Celtics have so much depth and young talent that much of it simply fritters away on the bench, unable to find minutes. Now the team appears to be searching for a solution to that unusual problem.
According to a report by Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical on Friday, the Celtics are offering James Young or RJ Hunter, their first-round picks in 2014 and 2015 respectively, in exchange for a second-rounder with final roster cuts needing to be made.
As cutdown looms, the Celtics continue to offer James Young or RJ Hunter for a second-round pick, league sources tell @TheVertical.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojVerticalNBA) October 21, 2016
Young, 21, was a one-and-done out of The University of Kentucky (providing us with this memorable jam in the 2014 NCAA National Championship Game). But he has only managed to play 8.9 minutes per game for in 60 total appearances for the Celtics since being drafted.
Meanwhile, Hunter had a memorable college career at Georgia State, including a game-winning three-pointer to upset No. 3 Baylor in the first round in the 2015 NCAA Tournament. But the 22-year-old has had similar struggles with playing time, earning just 8.8 minutes per game in 36 appearances as a rookie.
It likely won’t get better for either player in 2016-17 with Avery Bradley, Marcus Smart, Jae Crowder, and now No. 3 overall pick Jaylen Brown all cluttering up the wing rotation in Boston. As a knockdown three-point shooter capable of playing either guard position, Hunter probably has the higher value. But in reality, both players have the talent to start on a handful of other teams, so a change of scenery for one or both could be best in order for them to begin realizing their true potentials.
Image Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
