What If the Celtics Add Harrison Barnes at NBA Trade Deadline?

Simulation of Celtics' season with Barnes offers insight into impact originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Amid the deluge of NBA trade rumors, one name keeps getting linked to the Boston Celtics: Harrison Barnes.

Danny Ainge has expressed a desire for “shooting with size,” and the Sacramento Kings forward – who stands at 6-foot-8 and shoots 37% from 3-point range – appears to fit the bill.

Barnes also has championship experience, having won an NBA title with the Golden State Warriors in 2015. That begs the question: How far could the Celtics go this season with Barnes on their roster?

Last week's What if Wednesday: What KD signed with C's in 2016 free agency?

Enter our partners at Strat-O-Matic, who used their powerful simulation software to swing a virtual Boston trade and play out the remainder of the 2020-21 NBA season.

Editors Note: Strat-O-Matic, the market leader in sports simulation, has partnered with NBC Sports Boston to build simulation experiences for "What If Wednesdays.” 

Strat-O-Matic’s comprehensive results feature full stat lines for every Celtics player (including the newcomer), box scores for every remaining Celtics game and a playoff simulation that details how far Boston advances with Barnes in tow.

Let’s just say C’s fans will find the results… interesting. Here are six observations from Strat-O-Matic’s data.

What if the Celtics trade for Harrison Barnes? Playing out C's season.