As the NBA trade deadline approaches, many teams are looking to scramble their roster and make deals that will benefit them now – or in the future. There are a number of rumors surrounding the Boston Celtics, and GM Danny Ainge is looking to make some moves before the deadline passes.
Jeff Green, Brandon Bass, Avery Bradley and of course Rajon Rondo have all been named in various trade rumors. All four guys have real value and could bring something back to Beantown; the question is – who should be heading out of Boston?
First of all, Rondo shouldn’t be going anywhere. With the deadline just around the corner Rondo’s name will always be in the rumor mill regardless of what’s going on in Boston, but if the Celtics want to contend any time this decade, they shouldn’t move him.
Rondo is the only way Ainge is going to be able to get other star-caliber players in Boston through free agency. His play speaks for itself.
While there have been some potential deals with teams like Toronto, Sacramento, and even the Knicks mentioned, the Celtics would be wise to just hold on to Rondo given what teams are offering for him. None of the deals proposed so far seem worth it.
Jeff Green’s name has come up on numerous occasions. The sixth-year player is leading the Celtics in scoring with 16.4 ppg, but has been incredibly inconsistent throughout the season. Green was expected to be the new go-to guy in Boston, but he’s underwhelmed so far.
Green has shown flashes of what he could be, but his inconsistencies have raised some doubts about his future with the Celtics. However, Green can be a very valuable piece to a team trying to take the next step.
His contract makes him hard to trade, though - he’s owed around $19 million over the next two seasons. Other than a potential deal with the Atlanta Hawks, there aren’t any immediate deals in place for Green.
Ainge is actively shopping Green, and that’s a good thing. Green is solid, but Boston would benefit greatly if they could give him up for a first round pick or an expiring contract to clear up cap space.
A Bradley deal seems a little more realistic because of his contract. Bradley will be a restricted free agent this offseason and is owed $2.5 million this year. Bradley is averaging a career high in points this season at 14.3 ppg, and is still one of the premiere perimeter defenders in the league.
All that being said, Bradley should not be one of the players the Celtics move. He’s only 23 years old, and the combination of him and Rondo would be a great backcourt for the Celtics to move forward with (assuming they keep Rondo).
Another player that’s been mentioned in trade talks for some time is Brandon Bass. Much like Green, Bass could be the missing piece for a team trying to take the next step. Bass is averaging 10.8 ppg, 5.8 rpg, and 1.0 bpg. His name was very prominent in trade talks with the Rockets in December. While those talks have died down, his name has come up with a potential deals involving Charlotte and Golden State.
A couple of other players – including Kris Humphries and Gerald Wallace – have been circulating through the rumor mill as well. The Humphries situation is easier for Boston to deal with because even if they don’t trade him, his contract expires at the end of this season.
Wallace, however, is a different situation. He’s owed $ 30.3 million on his contract and will be very tough for Boston to get rid of, considering his age and lack of production.
It sounds as though Ainge isn’t going to give up any of these guys without getting a protected pick in the first round, which is a good move by him – with no pressure to win right away, the Celtics are in a better bargaining position than many of the teams looking to make moves at the deadline.
Out of all the guys mentioned, the most plausible deals that could occur involve moving Bass or Green. Those two have realistic contracts and could bring back some value with draft picks and/or expiring contracts.
The Celtics are expected to make some kind of deal before the deadline. Whether it’s a small move or a blockbuster, there’s still every reason to think Danny Ainge will do something before the clock strikes three on Thursday. Stay tuned.
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