As trade season rapidly approaches, the Boston Celtics are more than likely set to be one of the most aggressive teams in the market. It’s clear that they need to make a move in order to contend with the best of the best, and they have the assets to do so.
They sit at 20-18 on the year after a blowout win against the lowly Houston Rockets, fluctuating between the 4th and 8th seed in the Eastern Conference. The offensive effort was extremely promising, but there is still more work to be done for the Celtics.
While we all love to predict trades for the Cs to make, they always involve giving something away in return. Each player is on the roster for a reason, but some need to be parted with in order to improve the overall landscape of the team.
The Boston Celtics have to decide on who to give up on at the trade deadline
It would be interesting to see a blockbuster move involving Kemba Walker or Marcus Smart, but in all likelihood, neither of those scenarios will occur. Therefore, let’s look at the three most likely Cs to get moved at this year’s trade deadline.
Boston Celtics’ player to be moved #1: Romeo Langford
The 14th pick of last year’s NBA Draft, Romeo Langford hasn’t been able to find a role in this Boston Celtics team. He hasn’t seen the court this year due to injury and COVID-19 protocols, which has hindered his overall development as a player and prospect.
Langford averaged 2.5 points and 1.3 rebounds in 11.6 minutes per game in his rookie year. He wasn’t expected to make an immediate impact and only saw the floor in 32 games last season. Romeo showed flashes of promise, playing active on and off-ball defense against opposing wings when his number was called. On the other hand, his 3-point shot is the biggest question mark in his game, shooting only 18.5% from downtown last season.
Standing at 6’4″, the Indiana product projected as a wing who can create shots for both himself and others. At only 21 years of age, he has plenty of time to become a productive NBA player on a winning team. However, at the rate he’s developing at, the Celtics’ best years at a championship might not line up with his timeline, meaning it might make sense to move him for a seasoned veteran.
Langford is one of the Boston Celtics’ best assets, as he’s only two years into his initial rookie deal. On another team where he’s allowed to have the ball in his hands, he might showcase his potential more often. With Boston, he’s limited to an off-ball player on offense, as the ball-handling duties are handled by the core of Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Kemba Walker, and Marcus Smart almost exclusively.
Look for Romeo to be on the move in any reasonably-sized deal in the next two weeks. Teams would love to take a chance on him, and he possesses enough positive value for Boston to get something of import in return for him.
Boston Celtics’ player to be moved #2: Jeff Teague
Jeff Teague had been a name coach Brad Stevens had sought after for the majority of his time in the NBA, and they finally found themselves on the same team this year. However, the partnership hasn’t lived up to anyone’s standards, as the veteran Teague is slowly moving out of the rotation as the year progresses.
The 32-year old is averaging 6.4 points, 1.6 rebounds, and 2.1 assists on 37.7% shooting from the field. Playing 18 minutes a night, the Boston Celtics have struggled when he’s been the main ball-handler on the floor, stifling their offense and ball movement. With the injures to Smart and Walker earlier on in the season, Teague saw extended playing time, probably much more than he deserved.
Signing a veteran’s minimum contract in the offseason, the former Hawk and Pacer joined the Celtic green as a backup point guard to replace Brad Wanamaker. His role is quickly becoming filled with alternatives, with both Tatum and Brown acting at the point guard in some lineups, along with the emergence of rookie Payton Pritchard.
It’d be unlikely for any team to view Teague as a positive asset at this point in his career, so he would be heading to another team this deadline as a salary filler for a trade. Most of the other Celtics players on the roster have some sort of role or potential in the future. Teague stands out as an outlier, meaning he’ll likely get moved in any trade where Boston needs to send a player back in return.
Boston Celtics’ player to be moved #3: Tristan Thompson
The other Celtics free-agent signing this offseason, Tristan Thompson, also has a chance to be traded in the upcoming days. His original purpose was to provide size to a smaller Boston Celtics frontcourt–and he’s done that for the most part.
With the sudden emergence of Robert Williams as a player that demands minutes, the center rotation for Boston now includes three capable players with Daniel Theis. It’s possible Thompson is the odd man out, finding himself on another team in a matter of days.
On the year, Tristan has averaged 7.9 points and 8.3 rebounds on 53.5% shooting from the field. He’s started many games alongside Theis in the frontcourt, as the Celtics adjust to playing bigger under the Brad Stevens offense. The 30-year old hasn’t blown anyone away with his play in 35 games this season, but he hasn’t disappointed either. He’s been what GM Danny Ainge expected him to be, and that’s all you can ask for from a free agent signing.
The more important aspect to this situation is Robert Williams, fresh off a 16 point-13 rebound performance against Houston, in which he finished perfect from the field (7-7). Timelord is clearly the big man with the most upside of this Boston roster, and will likely give the Celtics the best chance at making a run in the playoffs this year.
After the game, coach Stevens said he told Theis at halftime that he’s planning on limiting the big man rotation to only one on the court at a time, meaning minutes will be harder to come by. This points to a potential trade, as the Celtics would not lose too much depth by trading away Thompson. They have plenty of small ball options at the center spot to run out come playoff time, including Semi Ojeleye and Grant Williams.
Tristan is more likely to be traded than Theis due to his inability to shoot, something that Boston values highly. TT makes more than $9 million a year over the next two years, a decent value contract for a player that can contribute to winning teams. It is also a well-sized number, making it easier for salaries to match in any potential trades.
Players will have to be traded at this deadline for the Celtics to compete in the 2020-21 NBA playoffs – who should they look to move?