Brad Stevens hints what Celtics looking for at trade deadline
Brad Stevens warned that the Celtics likely aren’t going to make a flashy move at the trade deadline.
BOSTON — With the Celtics armed with a talented roster and championship aspirations, there are at least some questions about what the front office could do within their title window. But as Boston president Brad Stevens warned, the C’s already made their big, splashy moves during the offseason.
The Celtics made a huge change when they traded for Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday, transforming the core of their roster. The moves have worked as the C’s are a league-best 26-7 and have one of the best net ratings in the NBA.
Still, the Celtics could make a depth deal come the Feb. 8 trade deadline, which is now just weeks away. While Stevens said they likely are not going to make a team-altering move, he hinted at what the C’s could be looking for in the trade market.
“What you look at is guys that can play, guys that can add value,” Stevens said. “But, like I said last year, don’t need to play. … So if we end up adding somebody, I don’t know if it will be a game-changer.
“I would like to continue to see how we can find another big wing or so that can help us, and I think that could be from within. I also think that we’ll continue to monitor free agency and trades. But again, the difference in this year and maybe other years is our tools are pretty limited from a dollars standpoint.”
Much like last season, the Celtics are in a great spot where they have a fortified rotation that doesn’t need much tweaking midway through the season. That’s a great spot to be in as the Celtics don’t have a talent problem — all their best players have also preached sacrifice this season.
On the flip side, as Stevens noted, the C’s will likely have a quiet trade deadline. They could still look for some wing depth, though their first guys off the bench in Sam Hauser and Payton Pritchard have had good seasons. Luke Kornet and two-way signee Neemias Queta have also provided solid regular-season production thus far, so it’s no guarantee the C’s go get another depth piece there.
Last season, the Celtics traded for Mike Muscala at the deadline for some shooting and depth. While Muscala was a decent add, he didn’t move the needle too much as the Celtics were also one of the best teams in the league last season. So it’ll likely be a similar formula for the C’s at this deadline as the front office has already made huge moves for the roster.
“You try to be smart if you add,” Stevens said. “How does it fit and how does it not take away? And so really the tool to do that again is the ($6.2 million Grant Williams trade exception), which is not big. The the major trade deadline move for us was Jrue the day before the season started. So we just have to be on the lookout for how we can fortify it and how we can make it better.”
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Two-time All-Star an ideal Boston Celtics antidote for Heat, Magic but Neemias Queta may be preferable: Analyst
A two-time All-Star on a potential deadline seller would be an ideal Boston Celtics antidote for the Miami Heat and Orlando Magic, but converting Neemias Queta to a guaranteed deal may be the preferable route.
By Andrew Hughes
Celtics Wire’s Adam Taylor believes that the perfect Boston Celtics antidote to the Miami Heat and Orlando Magic frontcourts is out there: Chicago Bulls center Andre Drummond. While the analyst believes Neemias Queta on a guaranteed deal would be Brad Stevens’s preference, Taylor sees Drummond as a viable second-unit option on the trade market.
“Despite being in his 12th NBA season, Drummond, 30, still has plenty left in the tank and can be a viable backup big man for multiple years to come,” Taylor prefaced before saying, “He’s currently averaging 7 points and 8.1 rebounds in 34 games for Chicago. Given his size and physicality, Drummond could be the ideal addition for when the Celtics play imposing teams like the Miami Heat and Orlando Magic.
“However, Stevens may prefer to convert Neemias Queta‘s contract into a full-time deal as a reward for his recent good play. Still, if a championship is the goal, Drummond’s experience could prove invaluable off the bench.”
Andre Drummond a potential Grant Williams TPE option for Boston Celtics
Bleacher Report’s Greg Schwartz believes Drummond could be a Grant Williams TPE option as the trade deadline nears.
“Drummond could be a buy-low option, as his $3.3 million salary fits into a $6.2 million trade exception created by the Grant Williams sign-and-trade,” Schwartz prefaced before saying, “Drummond’s 20.7 offensive rebound percentage would rank No. 1 in the NBA if he had enough minutes to qualify.”
Boston has not shied away from major deadline additions during Stevens’s President of Basketball Operations tenure, but the Bulls are in an NBA Play-in spot. As long as Chicago is in striking distance of a playoff spot, having a plug-and-play option like Drummond doesn’t make sense giving up unless the price is steep enough to make it a no-brainer.
Boston doesn’t have to pay that price, as Taylor notes, and wouldn’t have to unless there was a temporary absence expected for Al Horford or Kristaps Porzingis.
Because an extended absence to either could have the Celtics taking an even bigger swing come February.
Makes sense for Boston Celtics to de-prioritize struggling Boston Celtics PG to play Derrick White more: Analyst
Makes sense for Boston Celtics to de-prioritize struggling Boston Celtics PG to play Derrick White more: Analyst
ClutchPoints’ Christopher Smith believes it’d make sense for Derrick White to get more playing time for the Boston Celtics amidst a potentially All-Star-caliber hot streak at the expense of Payton Pritchard.
“Derrick White continues to prove why he is arguably the best role player in the NBA,” Smith prefaced before saying, “His performance on both ends of the floor speaks for itself. As a result, it makes sense to decrease Payton Pritchard’s minutes in favor of White. Nevertheless, there is an elephant in the room that needs to be addressed.”
Smith doesn’t believe that all Celtics point guards should have their playing time slashed by head coach Joe Mazzulla, though. The ClutchPoints writer fees that Jrue Holiday needs to continue seeing big minutes alongside White in what has been a one-two punch of knockout power in the backcourt.
“Having two guards who are elite on defense is a great problem to have,” Smith prefaced before saying, “It should only increase the Celtics’ resistance to opposing offenses. As a result, Holiday needs to continue to get plenty of minutes alongside White to keep Boston at the top of the league in defensive rating.”
Payton Pritchard could be playing his way off the Boston Celtics
Brad Stevens has been given the green-light from Cs owner Wyc Grousbeck to spend whatever it takes to produce a championship team in Boston. Ipso facto, if there’s a player who isn’t contributing to winning a championship, that player could be coupled with picks to bring in someone who will.
He’s overcome a gruesome 3/20 start to the 2023-24 season from beyond the arc to shoot at typical career conversion rates, but Pritchard represents one of the only tradeable pieces outside of the team’s top six players due to his $8 million salary — and for the record, that top six should all be considered untouchable at this point considering the team’s league-best record at the New Year’s benchmark.
Unfortunately, because he hasn’t been perfect, Pritchard may have played his way off the team if Stevens sees one big move left to be made to raise Banner 18.
Boston Celtics only have two surefire All-Stars
Boston Celtics only have two surefire All-Stars
A panel of analysts that included in-house Boston Celtics reporter Marc D’Amico and NBC Sports Boston’s Chris Forsberg and Abby Chin shared their belief that the Cs only have two surefire All-Stars during an episode from a View From The Rafters Podcast: Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
“The general agreement among the group is that Jayson Tatum is a surefire starter, and that Jaylen Brown is a surefire reserve, at the very least,” D’Amico wrote. “Brown’s challenge to become a starter is that he’s now listed as a forward, so he’d have to beat out the likes of Tatum, Giannis Antetokounmpo or Joel Embiid for a starting nod. As such, his most likely path is making the team as a reserve for the third time in his career. But he’s gonna make the team.”
Of course, perhaps the most popular Celtic among the fanbase during the 2023-24 season, Derrick White, is a notable omission here. Forsberg suggested Brad Stevens hop on the phone and actively campaign for White to make the mid-February classic for the first time in Indianapolis.
“In order to get White to Indianapolis, the Celtics likely will need to keep this campaign going for the next few weeks,” Forsberg wrote. “Indiana native Brad Stevens might need to get on the phone and remind some of his former coaching brethren just how the team feels about White’s impact on winning this season.”
Kristaps Porzingis, not Derrick White, the most likely third Boston Celtics All-Star
The group believes that Kristaps Porzingis’s All-Star case is far more convincing than White’s; mainly because of the Latvian big man’s flashier stat line and previous experience being voted onto the Eastern Conference squad as a New York Knick in 2018.
“White is facing stiff competition in the East when it comes to All-Star spots for guards,” D’Amico prefaced before saying, “Typically six guards and six forwards/centers make the team. In the East, the list of guards putting up All-Star numbers is deep: White, Jrue Holiday, Damian Lillard, Trae Young, Tyrese Haliburton, Donovan Mitchell, Tyrese Maxey, Jalen Brunson. Only six of those guys are going to make the team, barring an injury.
“With that being said, we all agreed that Porzingis probably has an easier path to making the team.”
With a few weeks left to vote until the polls close, White has an outside chance of becoming a first-time All-Star. It’d take perhaps even more Boston dominance than we’ve seen at the New Year’s benchmark — of which the Cs had the best record in the league — and a few massive nights from White to get there.
Boston Celtics have unfinished business to settle with OKC Thunder
Boston Celtics have unfinished business to settle with OKC Thunder
By Dylan Thompson
The Boston Celtics are one of the hottest teams in the NBA, finishing with a 12-2 record in the month of December and on a six-game winning streak. However, the Celtics are not the only team currently streaking, as the Oklahoma City Thunder have won four in a row and seven of their last eight games.
On Tuesday night, the two teams will face off in a huge tilt that will be a major test for the Cs.
The Celtics have unfinished business with the Thunder, considering the last time the two teams matched up, the Thunder scored 150 points and beat the Celtics by 33 points. Boston will return to Oklahoma City for the first time since that infamous game.
The Cs have an opportunity to make a statement and get revenge for that horrendous loss.
Boston Celtics take on Thunder at fascinating juncture for both teams
Ultimately, what makes this matchup fascinating is where the two teams are at. The Celtics are prohibitive favorites to win the NBA title, and the Thunder are in the next tier of fringe contenders but appear to be heading toward where the Celtics are. OKC has all the pieces in place to be the next great team similar to the Celtics. It’s not crazy to envision a world a few years from now where both the Cs and Thunder are the two best-positioned teams for sustained success.
Boston has to make a statement and convincingly beat the Thunder to show that they are still the top dog. I expect Jayson Tatum to have a great game against Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who is in the running for the MVP award. With this being a potential Finals matchup this year or in the future, the Celtics have to assert their dominance.
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