It’s the time of year when trade rumors begin to ramp up. December 15 marks the unofficial start of trade season in the NBA, as most of the players who signed new contracts over the summer will be eligible to be traded on that date, including Boston Celtics big man Luke Kornet, Xavier Tillman, and Neemias Queta.
At this point, it seems fairly obvious that the Celtics aren’t going to be making any big moves at the deadline. Their team is well put together already, and their financial state makes it nearly impossible to make any significant changes to the roster.
That said, fans should be expecting something.
Celtics will likely make a small trade
While the Celtics aren’t going to be making any big changes at the deadline, it seems likely that they will look to tweak things from a financial standpoint. Fans hoping to see a new face in Celtics green may be disappointed, but some players could be at risk of leaving.
The most obvious name that could depart is Jaden Springer, who has not been a part of the rotation this year. Springer makes just over $4 million, and trading him to a team would help the Celtics ease the tension on their salary books (if only a little bit).
A guy like Tillman could be at risk of being moved as well, although his contract is a bit smaller, and he’s seen more rotational opportunities than Springer, so he’s a much less likely option.
Regardless, with how pressed up against the cap the Celtics are, making a move to lessen the friction should be something to watch out for. It certainly doesn’t have the draw of a big-time deal.
As teams like the Golden State Warriors, Miami Heat, and Los Angeles Lakers get thrown around in massive trade rumors for players like Jimmy Butler, Jonathan Kuminga, and even LeBron James, the Celtics are going to sit idly by.
And that’s a good thing.
Boston doesn’t need to make any big-time moves in order to compete for a championship. They are already good enough to do so.
But just because the Celtics aren’t going to be swirling around the world of trade rumors doesn’t mean they won’t make any moves this season.
Trading a guy like Springer or Tillman might happen this year, but it would likely only be for the reason of lightening the cap so the Celtics don’t have to pay as much in taxes.