Boston Celtics: All-time starting lineup of almost acquired stars

Over the years, the Boston Celtics have been a part of a blockbuster trade but–more often then not–they have passed on acquiring a star. The Houdini put together the all time lineup of players the team passed on in trade talks.

Hindsight is 20/20. While that statement can apply to the broader scope of the situation the world is in right now, it can also apply to looking back and being disappointed about Boston Celtics deals that never happened.

The thing is, few teams wouldn’t trade for the C’s situation the past 25 or so years. Even though that time period produced deep playoff runs, multiple finals berths and even an NBA title in 2008, it is hard not to see some vetoed deals that could have elevated their ceiling higher during that period of time.

Of course, often times it was also justified. Judging an NBA deal is a difficult endeavor until multiple years have passed. Right now, Danny Ainge has the team in an enviable position, having collected established stars and even future All-Stars to produce the team with the third best record in the Eastern Conference.

That said, there have been a good number in players that we would have loved to see in green and white. So many so, that we were able to concoct a lineup resembling one you’d be lucky to have in NBA 2K’s “My Team” mode.

In honor of the memories that were never made and the close calls that avoided them, here is the all-time lineup that the Boston Celtics narrowly didn’t trade for: