The NBA trade rumors are heating up as February creeps in and the deadline is just around the corner. The Boston Celtics are still sitting on their war chest, and the question is when they will pull the trigger and who they target.
When will that change? Will Danny Ainge let another season pass by and continue to accumulate assets without actually grabbing a superstar? That's unlikely.
They have acquired Al Horford via free agency and now they have all their assets intact. The entire league has been waiting for their blockbuster trade since last season, on draft night and this whole season since but still nothing.
As we reach the homestretch heading towards the trade deadline, the Boston Celtics were not as good as expected and the addition of Al Horford was definitely not the difference for them. Now, there are two players that are on the block and combined with Al Horford and fringe All-Star Isaiah Thomas, that could push them over the Cleveland Cavaliers.
According to NESN, the Celtics have the pieces for a Jimmy Butler trade. Boston has the draft picks, not just the two Brooklyn Nets picks, expiring contracts (Amir Johnson and Jonas Jerebko), quality players on bargain contracts (Jae Crowder, Avery Bradley, etc.) and young players (Marcus Smart, Terry Rozier).
Nick Friedell of ESPN appeared on Zach Lowe's podcast and was also quoted with regards to Butler's availability and how Boston is the team that could trade for him.
"This goes back a year now to last year's trade deadline. I think if the Bulls had gotten the right pieces back in a deal, they would've moved Jimmy," Friedell said. "I think they were thinking about it at the draft, before the draft, during the draft last June. There is a split in the Bulls' front office as to whether they want to build around Jimmy or not. ... The team that I continue to hear has the pieces that the Bulls want is Boston. ... I've never been more convinced that if they got the right pieces, let's say it's not Boston but it's another team, if they got the right pieces back, I think they'd move Jimmy today. I think they realize that this team just isn't good enough."
The Bulls would definitely push to have the Brooklyn Nets pick back if they talk with Boston. The other pieces may even be negotiable, but they need a guard with superstar potential to replace the star they traded.
The Orlando Magic were reported to be shopping Serge Ibaka, as Sean Deveney of Sporting News declared. The Celtics don't need any of the Nets' picks to acquire Serge Ibaka. He is a risk because of his impending free agency, but that also lowers his trade value.
The Celtics can deal the 2018 Brooklyn Nets unprotected pick for him and they may need to add other pieces.
What is imperative is for Danny Ainge to acknowledge that he needs to get good players and he needs them to make a run this season. It's not about winning a trade as he already has enough pieces, it's about winning the Eastern Conference.