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Rumour Mill: Boston acquires...?

[ESPN - BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS] As it always does around draft time and prior to free agency, the rumour mill churns out stories on the daily, for eager and hopeful fans to absorb and pull apart, speculating wildly as to where the chips will fall across the NLL landscape. We have seen some massive movement already in the week since trading opened up, including NLL Draft Night, and even as the sun is about to set on the 15-16 season, we have a feeling that we haven't seen the last of it...

@ESPNBostonInsider has been told by a reputable source that the Celtics have preliminarily agreed to a huge deal that changes the whole make up of the 2015-16 Finals-bound Boston. Boston, stinging from a 4-2 defeat in the finals, has his the trade market with a vengeance, already closing a deal that sent Al-Farouq Aminu and a first out for Jarrett Jack, Andre Roberson and a first. Now while this current rumour is officially still just that, we are lead to believe that in due time, it will become a concrete, legitimate transaction.

So, without further ado, here is the rumoured deal...

"Boston Trades: Trevor Ariza , Taj Gibson, Jeremy Lin

Boston Receives: Tyreke Evans, a 2017 First Round draft pick"

Wow. If that's true, Boston has all but gotten rid of half the core that made it to the NLL Finals... Ariza was the starting wing, Lin, Gibson and (Aminu) were the key role players off the bench. That is a huge turnover in just two weeks since the Finals and safe to say, some 'hasty' moves, from a distance. Ariza, a great two-way, 3 + D player, has been a great contributor for the best part of a decade in the NLL. Same can be said for Taj Gibson, a bruising, defensive big. Jeremy Lin set the world on fire with his Lin-sanity burst onto the NLL scene, and is a fast, penetrating guard with a penchant for making big plays.

Image: Tyreke Evans

That is some talent to give up. However, if they are to acquire Tyreke Evans, that is truly an exciting prospect. Evans, a 6'6, 220 pound wing, has amazing handles, great playmaking and driving ability, great strength and an improving outside game. He had the most unproductive campaign of his entire career last year, playing in just 30 games. In the 30 games, however, he was great, and was able to put up averages of 21 points, 6.1 rebounds, 3 assists, 1.1 steals and just 1.6 turnovers, on 49% FG and made almost 5 FT per game. He only turned 26 this year and should be entering the prime of his career, and Boston will be really, really hoping that he can rectify some of his injury concerns and work on his durability, to get fair return for what they gave up in the deal. He has one year left on his contract and Boston will be hoping that he has a fantastic 2016-17 campaign so he wants to re-sign with the organisation. A lot of risk giving up all those pieces, but Evans is an exciting talent. Also, the Celtics picked up a first round pick in what is slated to be a pretty great draft.

Now, this is all hypothetical, and nothing is confirmed officially yet... However...

...It is quite tantalising to imagine Durant and Evans taking turns to run the Celtics offense from the wing spots, with Horford and Vucevic setting screens, popping for jumpers and crashing the boards. While this rumour was from a very reputable source, as previously mentioned, it is still very much unconfirmed.

Image: Could these foes now be teammates?

We wait with baited breath to see what transpires over the next 12-24 hours, to see if there's a flame to all of this smoke... Or whether it's just more rumour mill fodder.

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