As we dive into trade season, it’s time to take a hard look at the Celtics’ options and what our competition might be cooking up. Let’s face it, the C’s are pretty limited in what they can do, but that might not be such a bad thing given how well we’re playing.
First off, let’s talk about our constraints. We’re not trading anyone in our top eight, maybe even top nine. That leaves us with slim pickings. Jaden Springer? Sure, he’s tradeable, but we’re probably just waiting for the right moment to move him without attaching a pick. Xavier Tillman for Daniel Theis? I mean, you could, but why bother? It’s like swapping quarters for dimes.
Here’s the kicker: we can’t take back more salary than we send out. No aggregating salaries, no cash to sweeten deals. We’ve got some draft picks, but do we really want to use them? There’s no game-changing player out there at our price point that makes sense for us.
So what about the competition? Cleveland and New York are pretty much tapped out. The Bucks? They’re in a similar boat as us, but there’s a whisper of a Bobby Portis trade. Could they snag Robert Williams from Portland? It’s possible, but I’m not losing sleep over it.
Orlando has some flexibility, but are they ready to make a big splash? Miami’s looking to offload Jimmy Butler, which tells you all you need to know about their direction.
The real wild card might be Denver. They’re underperforming despite Nikola Jokic having possibly his best season yet. They need scoring punch when the big guy sits, and there are rumblings about Zach LaVine. It’s a long shot, but if anyone’s going to shake things up, my money’s on the Nuggets.
But here’s the bottom line: nothing I’m seeing on the trade market really scares me. The Celtics are built to win, and I don’t see any moves out there that are going to change that equation.
For more insights and a deeper dive into the trade landscape, tune into the Locked On Celtics podcast for this and much more.
Other Topics in Today’s Locked On Celtics Podcast:
• Kristaps Porzingis’ practice update and pickleball shenanigans
• The NBA Cup’s impact on the Celtics’ schedule
• A look at potential game-changers on the trade market
