Boston Celtics landing Chris Boucher unlikely, but C's youngest and cheapest target on the table
Toronto Raptors big man Chris Boucher isn't a likely Boston Celtics acquisition ahead of the trade deadline, but the C's youngest and cheapest frontcourt target, Detroit Pistons enforcer Isaiah Stewart, is available according to Hoops Habit's Cal Durrett.
"Despite their interest in the Raptors big man, they may have a hard time trading for him and his $11.7 million salary," Durrett prefaced before saying, "With so few expendable players, they would have to move at least three players, possibly four, in a deal for Boucher, including Payton Prichard.
"That is probably unrealistic in-season, though they could circle back around in the offseason to check his availability. Of the three players they've been linked to, Stewart is the youngest and cheapest, which in theory makes him a much more likely option. What the Celtics do to address depth at center is something worth keeping an eye on."
Boucher has been mostly minimized in the Raptors' rotation under first-year head coach Darko Rajakovic, making him a trade target league-wide. Almost every other team is in a better position to land the Caribbean big man than Boston is due to his salary, but that could well be the issue for Stewart as well.
Boston Celtics would have to part with Al Horford or Payton Pritchard for Isaiah Stewart too
Landing Stewart would require the Celtics to make the same sacrifices as a Boucher pursuit, meaning that Boston landing "Beef Stew" isn't likely.
"Before you ask, it is already too late in the season to bring a player into the Grant Williams traded player exception to then re-aggregate with additional contracts," Celtics Wire's Justin Quinn wrote.
"Beef Stew may indeed be on the move soon, but it doesn’t look like it will be to Boston, this latest rumbling perhaps tied to previous reported interest from the Celtics rather than anything current — or at least likely to happen."
The Celtics bringing on any $10 million+ big man is practically off the table; likely a preferred scenario for a player like Boucher or Stewart who can both see a major stock boost landing in a more winning-centric situation that can offer him playing time.
Look for a smaller ripple ahead of the deadline, likely involving one or multiple of Dalano Banton, Luke Kornet, Svi Mykhailiuk and Lamar Stevens' contracts, instead of a mid-splash like a Boucher or a Stewart would be.