Outlining 3 different trade deadline outcomes for the Boston Celtics
Supporting the core with a trade
The second–and most likely–situation the Boston Celtics could find themselves in is making a minor move to supplant the core. With Clint Capela now a member of the Atlanta Hawks (pending physicals), this seems the likely route the C’s will take.
Danny Ainge is reportedly set to keep Gordon Hayward, the likeliest Celtic to be moved, if Brian Windhorst is to be believed:
Brian Windhorst on Gordon Hayward (on the Lowe Post) "I feel very confident that he's not going to be traded"
— John Karalis 🇬🇷🇺🇦 (@John_Karalis) February 3, 2020
With Hayward’s $32.7 million salary unlikely to be used in a trade, that would effectively eliminate the possibility of a massive deal. Of course, we don’t know what will actually happen until Thursday afternoon rolls around, but it seems safe to say that Hayward and Team Shamrock–the Boston Celtics foursome of Kemba Walker, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum and Marcus Smart that represented the U.S. at the FIBA World Championship–will remain.
A more likely scenario appears to be adding another center or veteran wing to the team. Ainge recently commented that the team has too many young players, signaling a potential deal at the end of the bench to bring in veteran value.
The C’s only have one player over 30 years old in Brad Wanamaker. Expect that to change if the Celtics make any moves this deadline.