Analyst: Biggest name on Boston Celtics trade radar ‘makes a healthy amount of sense’
According to Boston.com’s Tom Westerholm, the biggest name on the Boston Celtics’ trade radar, San Antonio Spurs center Jakob Poeltl, ‘makes a healthy amount of sense’ as a target — but also that ultimately, the price wouldn’t be worth it.
Poeltl’s price is currently two second-round picks. Giving up several of the remaining win-now trade chips the front office could cash on someone who may not even start — and as Westerholm points out, also is owed a new contract in the offseason isn’t prudent at this point in time.
Still, there’s no denying that Poeltl would be a great pivot platoon mate for both Robert Williams III and Al Horford. Westerholm wasn’t in the business of denying that fact when analyzing the possibility of the Celtics hitting a high-priced win-now home-run at the trade deadline:
"“Poeltl has been one of the names bounced around most on Twitter, and in a vacuum, he makes a healthy amount of sense. The Celtics would like to get Al Horford off his feet a little more, and while Robert Williams’ minutes are ramping up, Celtics fans and front-office members might understandably be a little skittish about his ability to hold up for the rest of the season. Acquiring Poeltl as overqualified insurance is the type of all-in move that only a true contender could reasonably make, but the Celtics certainly are a true contender.”"
More realistic Boston Celtics frontcourt targets
Jakob Poeltl is a redundant luxury that just shouldn’t be expected by Boston Celtics fans with the trade deadline a week out. When the rotation shrinks, it’s possible that staggering the minutes of Robert Williams and Al Horford could be in the plans, so bringing on another center who will have to sit as the team goes somewhat small just isn’t the best course of action at this time.
Finding a stretch combo forward would be a more sensible pursuit. A Bojan Bogdanovic trade would be ideal, but the Detroit Pistons don’t seem too keen on giving up the Croatian 21-point-per-game scorer.
More realistic targets include Kelly Olynyk and PJ Washington are more realistic deadline gets, so adjust your expectations accordingly.