Boston Celtics: B/R predicts Cs won’t pull trigger on any blockbuster

The only thing that matters for the Boston Celtics is the results on the hardwood. They don’t need the approval of any media heads, internet pundits, or “blog boys” like myself, or any other outlet that exists on the internet or in the printed press.

That said, it isn’t savory to be clowned for teasing the fanbase with close-calls and “almost’s”, and Bleacher Report had a playful rib in their latest trade deadline prediction piece that covered all 30 NBA franchises.

The franchise tied for the most championships in the history of the league is down on its luck this season, but as B/R (and Hardwood Houdini) has pointed out, their lack of action has been part of the reason why.

B/R’s Zach Buckley broke down the C’s likely trade deadline situation, and he sees the team getting close to pulling a deal off, but falling short of being able to boast about something actually getting done in the next few weeks:

"The C’s have as many needs as you’d expect for a barely-above-.500 team that entered the campaign with championship aspirations. But where’s the trade chip who gets a megadeal done?Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are going nowhere. Same goes for Kemba Walker, though for different reasons (namely, his recent injury woes and colossal contract). Boston has the biggest trade exception in NBA history but might carry it into the offseason. Prospects such as Romeo Langford and Aaron Nesmith haven’t done enough to boost their trade values to the point it would make sense to let them go.The Celtics could (and probably will) be linked to just about every notable name on the market. But the fanbase should know by now that instead of actual trades, they should prepare to hear about just how close the club came to pulling them off."

While the assessment seems harsh, one must remember the numerous examples that point to Buckley’s argument holding weight.

Remember, this is the team that had the chips to cash in on Kawhi Leonard, Anthony Davis, and James Harden (to name a few) over the last few seasons. Instead of giving up the necessary assets to land one of the aforementioned megastars, Danny Ainge opted instead to take his chances in the draft.

That has led to the Boston Celtics having a roster of two stars (Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum), one overpriced former All-Star (Kemba Walker), one fairly-compensated role player (Marcus Smart), and a bunch of underperforming draft picks mixed with mid-level contracts for middling contributors.

Leonard and Davis have won the last two championships with the team that did end up trading for them (Toronto Raptors, Los Angeles Lakers respectively) and Harden is currently on the team with the second-best odds to win in 2021.

While Boston Celtics fans likely don’t want to hear Buckley’s analysis, the odds of him being right are depressingly high.