Less-than-desirable Boston Celtics trade target the least suitable option on C's radar: Analyst

NESN's Gio Rivera didn't hold back any criticisms of one of the Boston Celtics' Grant Williams TPE targets, Otto Porter; a veteran the Toronto Raptors are considering either trading or releasing by the February 8 trade deadline/buyout deadline.

Rivera called Porter a less-than-ideal candidate, one least suitable of a bunch that also includes Andre Drummond and Kelly Olynyk, and said that the team needs more than a spokesperson who'd chat it up with fellow reserves.

"There is an ongoing concern regarding Porter’s health that makes him a less-than-desirable candidate for Boston," Rivera prefaced before saying, "Porter has played 30 or fewer games in the last three seasons. With the Celtics having been linked to names like Kelly Olynyk and Andre Drummond, Porter is the least suitable option. Boston needs reliability, not just a veteran spokesperson to chat with Payton Pritchard or Neemias Queta."

Otto Porter Jr. a non-game-changing addition the Boston Celtics can trade for, but shouldn't

All trade season, the Houdini has referred back to a report from NBC Sports Boston's Jordan Daly -- in somewhat Simpsons "don't make me tap the sign" meme fashion -- that indicates that the Celtics won't be looking for a game-changer at the trade deadline.

"With most of the minutes already claimed in Boston's nightly rotation, the Celtics aren't looking to bring in a game-changing player -- their main rotation is set and proven to work," Daly prefaced before saying, "Boston's bench -- which was seen as a weak point before the season -- has slowly proven its ability to play meaningful minutes, playing team-first basketball with the goal of getting wins over individual accomplishments. With that in mind, it can still never hurt to add more depth."

And with Porter, we have arrived at a player who, on paper, fits that bill perfectly. Unfortunately, trading for Porter does little for the team in the short-term or long-term. The former No. 3 overall pick isn't going to steal minutes from even Sam Hauser come playoff time, and isn't a player who makes sense to acquire with his expiring contract and uncertain future in the league beyond 2023-24.

Drummond may not be the answer from a chemistry point of view, and Olynyk is overpriced and not worth Pritchard or any of the starting five or Al Horford's contracts. But they'd at least be more reliable in the event of an untimely Boston Celtics injury.