It seems very unlikely that the Boston Celtics will make any league-altering moves this trade season. In fact, it’s nearly impossible for them to do so, as they are a second-apron team. But just as they did last year, expect Boston to take a peek around the NBA landscape for potential deals on the margins.
Whether the Celtics decide to look for project pieces like Xavier Tillman and Jaden Springer or scour the market for veterans to throw on the end of the bench, they should definitely keep their eyes peeled. And Springer’s contract could be Boston’s best pathway to do so, as he makes just over $4 million.
With that in mind, here is a ranking of 10 players the Celtics could consider inquiring about this trade season.
*This is not saying that the Celtics should/will trade for these players, only that they could financially complete the deal, and it would be an interesting idea.*
10. Kevin Love
Maybe Pat Riley has some sort of rule where he won’t trade with Boston, and that would make some sense, but if the Celtics are only interested in bringing in a veteran presence, Kevin Love could be an interesting choice.
He probably wouldn’t give Boston much on the court outside of a few gritty floor-spacing minutes, but that may be all they need.
9. Javonte Green
Here’s an old friend who the Celtics could consider bringing back. Javonte Green is on the injury-riddled New Orleans Pelicans, and they should be open to trading almost everyone.
Green’s vertical spacing, hustle, and rebounding would be nice to have on the bench, as he could replace Oshae Brissett, but he’s not an amazing fit with this version of the Celtics.
8. Josh Richardson
Going back to the Heat quickly, Josh Richardson would be another example of a veteran for Boston to bring on board to help out in spot minutes.
He’s having a rough season, however, so perhaps the Celtics should look elsewhere.
7. Daniel Theis
Just to wrap up the Heat-Pelicans back-to-backs, Daniel Theis would probably be a huge fan-favorite within the Celtics community. However, Boston probably doesn’t need any more bigs.
That said, the organization is familiar with him, and Theis’ screening, rim protection, and (a little bit of) shooting would be useful.
6. Dariq Whitehead
If Boston is looking to take a chance on a young guy and develop him at the end of the bench, Dariq Whitehead could be an interesting prospect.
He hasn’t panned out with the Brooklyn Nets thus far, but he shot the ball well in college. Maybe his size and youth are enough for Boston to take a look.
5. Vit Krejci
If Brad Stevens wants to continue his trend of signing players who played well against the Celtics, this would fall in line with that idea. Vit Krejci looked good when the Atlanta Hawks played Boston last year.
Krejci is a very big wing who could have enough potential for the Celtics to be interested, especially considering he’s not playing much in Atlanta right now.
4. Guerschon Yabusele
With the current state of the Philadelphia 76ers, they shouldn’t scoff at the idea of trading some players. Former Celtic Guerschon Yabusele could be one of those players.
Yabusele has been playing most of his minutes at the five, and Boston already has a lot of centers, but maybe they could roll him out at the four.
3. David Roddy
The Hawks have been solid this year, and David Roddy is playing 14.6 minutes per game, but for a second-rounder or two, maybe the Celtics could snag him.
The volume is low, but Roddy’s three-point shooting has been great this year, and he could be an interesting guy for Boston to take a look at.
2. Dalen Terry
Chicago Bulls forward Dalen Terry hasn’t done much in the NBA so far, but he could be a potential project player for the Celtics to look at. His shooting looks a bit improved, and he’s a very athletic wing.
But the biggest reason Boston may be interested in Terry is because of his contract. He has a team option for almost $5.4 million next season, which the Celtics could use as a trade piece.
1. Shake Milton
The Celtics are the best three-point shooting team in NBA history. Shake Milton is shooting the ball super well this season. At the very least, he would be another shooter to bring off the bench.
Milton’s defense has always been a question mark, but having another lethal shooter to bring off the bench in case of emergency could be nice. Plus, he’s under contract for two more years after this one, so Boston would maintain a trade asset.