Viewed as the Eastern Conference’s deepest and most talented team entering 2018/19, the Celtics have been somewhat inconsistent this season and currently sit fifth in the East at 22-15. The club’s intermittent struggles have led to some trade speculation, but Danny Ainge doesn’t sound like someone who expects to be making deals in the coming weeks.
Although Ainge and the Celtics will do their due diligence in exploring the trade market, the team’s president of basketball operations suggested today during an appearance on the radio show Toucher & Rich that a major move is probably unlikely, as Darren Hartwell of NBC Sports Boston relays.
“We’re always looking to upgrade our team if those opportunities present themselves. But I think that’s going to be tough,” Ainge said. “As far as trading players, I don’t really see much out there. We have a lot of good ones. It’s hard to get better players than we have.”
While a player like Terry Rozier looks like a potential trade candidate, moving him before he reaches restricted free agency probably wouldn’t improve the Celtics in the short term. Consolidating some of their depth and building a package for a star player would be another option for the C’s, but that sort of in-season deal is rare. Plus, the team likely wants to save its assets to make a run at Anthony Davis, who is ineligible to be traded to Boston during the 2018/19 league year unless Kyrie Irving is involved.
There are still five weeks to go until the February 7 trade deadline, so injuries and various hot or cold streaks could re-shape the trade market in the coming weeks. For now though, it’s probably safe to bet that the Celtics won’t do anything drastic to their roster.
In Ainge’s defense it’s hard to miss a near 7 footer that weighs over 250 pounds.
They can’t trade for AD during this season unless they also get rid of Kyrie. So of the players that are available, he doesn’t see anything worth giving up the assets he can use to later go after AD with
I could’ve literally been referencing so many other players
Except you werent.
Trade Kyrie. Celts better without him. Dominates the ball too much. AD for Kyrie and a pick. Problem is Kyrie won’t sign with NO.
Would love to see a 3-team deal where Kyrie goes to the Knicks and AD to the Celtics during the season.
The only player (other than KI and Tatum) that he could trade and get much of value in return is J.Brown. He’s got a year and a half left on his RS contract, and the supply of SFs vs SGs is low right now. I think any AD trade this summer would have to be built around Tatum, so I don’t think it hurts that.
Like the Lakers are holding on to all their assets to go for Anthony Davis, so are the Celtics,
Trade Kyrie and get something for him incase he walks.
And what if he doesn’t intend to walk? Then Celtics get only ‘something’ for him.
Rozier and Irving aren’t going anywhere….. Terry will get his shooting, aggressive and all around solid play going again and clearly the ownership isn’t letting Kyrie go, to say otherwise is asinine nonsense. Irving has stepped his game and intensity level up recently in all facets of the game on BOTH SIDES OF THE BALL, but I’m glad the rest of the guys have a little time to gel without him right now. They needed that time to get rolling along again, important for confidence. Bleed Green, C’s UP!!!!