Without any sort of consistency game to game, the Boston Celtics are a team that will continue to be involved in trade talks as the season progresses.
Now 3-3 in their last six with alternating wins and losses, there’s been no momentum built for a squad sorely missing its 1A superstar Jaylen Brown, who has been out with a hamstring injury since a November 4th victory over the Miami Heat.
A loss to the Atlanta Hawks this past Wednesday–where the Cs barely looked competitive for stretches in the second half–knocked Boston back down under .500 on the season. Tonight, the Los Angeles Lakers make way to the TD Garden, and they will likely be getting LeBron James back in the process.
If the Cs fail to win a national T.V. game Las Vegas sportsbooks are deeming a pick-em, the chatter is only going to pick up. The upcoming Oklahoma City Thunder and Houston Rockets matchups would both become must-win.
The sky wouldn’t quite be falling, but it’d be putting on its parachute in anticipation.
Boston Celtics President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens figures to be a busy man ahead of the trade deadline, continuing his quest to form a viable contender around the talents of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown…assuming that remains his roster-building goal after this slow start.
Armed with a $17.1 million TPE, Stevens has the chance to add more talent to the roster without giving up any player salaries, but MassLive’s Brian Robb sees a trade that doesn’t add anymore to the luxury tax as more likely.
And in answering a fan mail question about who Stevens would look to acquire, Robb came up with these four names:
"As far as possible names for a veteran scorer, guys like Thaddeus Young and Terrence Ross should be readily available as their teams continue to rebuild. Otherwise, mediocre teams looking to shake things up (Indiana, Memphis) could be in the market to move some veterans on expiring deals (Kyle Anderson, Jeremy Lamb) if they look to build more for the future rather than this current season."
What do you think about these potential trade targets, Boston Celtics fans? Let the Houdini know in the comment section below.