In anticipation of the season’s final stretch, the Boston Celtics made a move on Wednesday that, while not particularly groundbreaking, adds depth to their frontcourt. They acquired Xavier Tillman Sr.—an underappreciated big man who amasses impressive defensive stats—in exchange for Lamar Stevens and two second-round picks from the Memphis Grizzlies.
Tillman is already an improvement over Stevens, who hasn’t played a significant role in the Boston rotation, as he should be positioned as one of the Celtics’ rotation players behind Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford.
However, an often overlooked consequence of trades is that players see the departure of individuals with whom they have developed a close bond and engaged in combat with with equal ease. When the news of Stevens’ resignation reached him before the Celtics defeated the Hawks 125-117, Jayson Tatum in particular talked about how it affected him.
It’s difficult. Losing [him] at this time of year, when the trade deadline is tomorrow. Even though he may not have played as much, his work ethic and demeanor made him an excellent teammate. Tatum stated, “Everyone loved Lamar,” according to Noa Dalzell of the Celtics Blog at SB Nation.
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