All quiet on the trade front for Celtics
With Thursday’s 3 p.m. trade deadline fast approaching, the Celtics continue to comb through potential options around the league, but multiple league sources said Tuesday night that no deals appeared imminent.
This is not unusual at this point in the week, of course, as deals tend to be finalized Thursday afternoon. But for now, there is quiet.
When Jaylen Brown missed Monday’s game against the Pistons with an illness, there was some speculation that he may have been held out because of the possibility of a trade for Nets star Kevin Durant, whose future in Brooklyn could be uncertain after his friend and fellow All-Star Kyrie Irving was traded to the Mavericks.
But a team source insisted Tuesday that Brown’s absence had nothing to do with a potential deal; Brown simply had an illness. He’s been upgraded to probable for Wednesday’s home game against the 76ers.
On Tuesday, ESPN reported that the Nets have told teams in recent days that they do not intend to trade Durant prior to Thursday’s deadline.
The Celtics (38-16) own the NBA’s best record and remain confident in the core that finished just two wins shy of an NBA title last season, so they are not expected to pursue seismic moves. But team ownership has instructed the front office to seek upgrades that will boost the team’s chances of winning now.
“It’s not about, ‘This will pay dividends in three years’ or ‘This will do next year,’ ” Celtics co-owner Wyc Grousbeck said during a recent appearance on NBC Sports Boston. “It is this year. Muscle up, and let’s get the job done.”
The Celtics have one open roster spot after trading veteran forward Noah Vonleh to the Spurs in a cost-cutting move last month. They also have several trade exceptions that will expire at the deadline, including one for $5.9 million that was created when point guard Dennis Schröder was traded to the Rockets last February. That exception would allow the Celtics to trade for a player making $5.9 million or less this season without sending back matching salary.
Center Robert Williams, who made his debut in December following offseason knee surgery, has a long history of injuries, and forward Al Horford turns 37 in June, so Boston could look to add another big man even though Luke Kornet has played well during his limited opportunities. The Celtics could also benefit from some wing depth, especially with star forward Jayson Tatum averaging a career-high 37.4 minutes per game, second-most in the NBA. Forward Sam Hauser’s struggles after his hot start made this potential need more glaring, but Hauser may have snapped out of his funk in drilling five 3-pointers in Monday’s win over Detroit.
Forward Danilo Gallinari, who has been sidelined since tearing his ACL while playing for Italy in a World Cup qualifier in September, remains hopeful that he will be able to return at some point in the playoffs. But the Celtics are not counting on that possibility, and his $6.4 million salary could be useful in orchestrating a trade.
The Celtics sent their 2023 first-round pick to the Pacers in the deal that brought Malcolm Brogdon to Boston last summer, but they own all of their other future first-round choices.