Boston Celtics: Do Not Get Excited About Trade Talks
Danny Ainge has spoken about potential trades to help finalize the roster, but that is nothing for fans to get too excited about
It feels as though any time there is ever any mention of a potential trade, Danny Ainge is mentioned. It is no secret that Ainge has been an active and willing trader throughout his career. He has managed to get incredible value while doing deals, and mid season trades landed both Isaiah Thomas and Jae Crowder to this current core. Once again, as the season approaches, there appears to be a resurgence of trade talk surrounding the Boston Celtics.
According to Mass Live, Ainge is looking for trades in order to avoid waiving players when the final roster needs to be set. First of all, even if something emerges from these trade rumours, it sounds as though it will be incredibly minor. Something to the extent of sending fringe players for late roster picks. Or packaging two of those players for a slightly more established veteran. These are the kind of trades that are likely to end up being inconsequential injury insurance down the line. These are the kind of trades that fans should not be getting too excited about, and they are about the most that should be expected at this point.
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It is also no secret that Ainge will be willing to send away significant pieces if it means getting that transcendent talent he believes will take them to the next level. There are incredibly high expectations for the Celtics this year, but Ainge has spoken about being patient and waiting for these players to prove themselves before making these assertions.
Unfortunately, now is unlikely to be the time that Ainge makes one of those trades. The beginning of the season is never when you see any kind of volume of those deals. A lot of teams are still unsettled and uncertain. Until certain front offices see how things work out, they will be less likely to trade away a superstar.
Things could potentially get more interesting once the trade deadline comes around, but even then, a true superstar will be incredibly difficult to come by. Ainge has been a willing trader but he has been an even more stingy trader. The kind of player that Celtics fans would get excited about would require the kind of return that Ainge will be very hesitant to give up.
For all the talk about singe and trades, he has always proven that he will be patent throughout. The Celtics have done a phenomenal job of rebuilding, and that has been without acquiring any bonified superstar trough a trade. Time will tell how much of a difference a player as talented as Al Horford will make, but they will continue to develop and grow with or without a trade.
They still have too many draft picks than anyone could handle, and they certainly have the assets to make one of these trades happen. The problem is that history vehemently suggests that Ainge will not be gutting his core or his future for that superstar. Maybe if DeMarcus Cousins gets in more locker room trouble, his price will go low enough. Maybe a team will get desperate enough to give the Celtics that superstar just for draft picks. Unfortunately, it would be unrealistic to expect this to actually happen, especially before the final rosters are set.
Depending on where the Celtics feel they are at the trade deadline, things could get interesting then. For now, the Celtics have what is finally one of the most talented teams in the Eastern Conference. Until they go out and make any kind of significant trade, they need to get a better idea of what this core will be like together. Horford drastically changes the starting unit, and losing Evan Turner drastically changes the second unit.
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The Celtics will be in a better position to know what they might want to trade for by the trade deadline. For now, any movement of that kind will be for relatively insignificant players and draft picks (although, the Celtics really do not need more draft picks at this point either).