Boston Celtics can be boxed into buyout market unless willing to trade Al Horford or Derrick White

Bleacher Report's Dan Favale believes the Boston Celtics may be boxed into the buyout market this trade season unless they are willing to part with Al Horford or Derrick White in a trade.

"Seeking out potential upgrades at basically any position to fill out spots behind the top six in the rotation should be the Boston Celtics' aim," Favale wrote. "People will insist a reserve big is a must, but a bigger wing, ball-handler/playmaker or extra point-of-attack defender could be just as useful. If they believe Sam Hauser has the seventh spot and minutes at the 3 and 4 on lock, well, that doesn't really change the plot.

"Granted, Boston might be boxed into buyout-market surfing after Feb. 9. Its best salary-matching tools are all mission critical. Team president Brad Stevens' wish list will consist of lower-salaried fliers unless he's willing to part with Horford or White or prepared to boost the Celtics' tax bill using the Grant Williams TPE."

Almost no chance the Boston Celtics part with Al Horford or Derrick White

Well, go ahead and box those Celtics into the buyout market if that's what it's going to take to upgrade the roster in a significant way. In almost no world would Horford or White be traded at this point outside of a can't-miss trade piece, but looking around the league, it's hard to imagine who'd be worth parting with the C's veteran leader or arguably their second-best player.

With that said there's a world where a rebuilding team down on their luck, like the Detroit Pistons or San Antonio Spurs to name a few, that could be willing to take several non-guaranteed contracts and picks for the veterans on short-term deals who have no place playing ahead of youth.

Don't write out a small splash for a player like Memphis Grizzlies wing John Konchar or Chicago Bulls guard Jevon Carter.