Boston Celtics: Assessing the 3 different deadline path Cs can take

Boston Celtics fans are awaiting the trade deadline with bated breath, wondering if this is the year that Danny Ainge decides to make a major midseason shuffle with a championship being the goal.

Not since 2015–when the team acquired a point guard by the name of Isaiah Thomas–have the Cs attempted to bolster the team’s chances of restarting the Celtics dynasty with a deadline deal. Instead, the offseason has served as the time where Ainge has struck with a major move.

This year could be different, though there is never a guarantee when it comes to the trade market. 2021 definitely seems like a year where more talks could break down than usual due to the unfortunate circumstances every team is dealing with as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Then again, offseason spending wasn’t exactly limited in the age of the coronavirus. Plenty of teams doled out big-time deals, most notably an Atlanta Hawks team that spent $140+ on Danilo Gallinari, Rajon Rondo, and Bogdan Bogdanovic this past November.

The NBA is running at its usual high-speeds, and the Cs hold the keys to unlocking a powerful midseason transaction fireworks show.

What door will Ainge open, though? There is the path of least resistance, the short-term gain in lieu of long-term building option, and the most painful–but potentially beneficial–option.

Let’s explore all 3:

Boston Celtics’ path of least resistance: Making no deal at all

A quiet deadline would be a failure. Full stop.

A 20-21 team that just dropped back-to-back games against the Sacramento Kings and Cleveland Cavaliers is not one that should remain intact as the Eastern Conference passes them by. Boston has little to no chance of taking down the Brooklyn Nets or Philadelphia 76ers in a playoff series, and such a postseason loss would only be possible if they were able to escape a postseason play-in tournament.

If Ainge failed to make a move and allowed this team to continue as is, Brad Stevens would essentially become a lame-duck coach. Postseason expectations would be low, and the team would be letting down a fanbase that had grander expectations for 2020-21 than where this team is headed.