Celtics Looking to Make Another Huge Trade

After last season's disappointing loss to the 8th seed Miami Heat in the playoffs, the Celtics have been incredibly active in adjusting their roster. With several new stars already added to the team, they are now expected to make one final trade to position themselves for championship contention this season.

New Celtics Stars

The Celtics' starting 5 seems to be at its strongest, arguably the best lineup they've had in probably the last decade, thanks to the addition of two former All-Stars, Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis. These acquisitions have provided the Celtics with one of the most potent offensive arsenals in the NBA this season. Pairing these two with Tatum and Brown gives them a minimum of four genuine scorers to choose from throughout the game.

Additionally, their defense has been bolstered significantly. Bringing in a 7-foot rim protector like Porzingis and arguably the league's best defensive guard in Holiday, replacing Marcus Smart, the Celtics appear destined for success this season.


Lack of Depth

The acquisition of these two monumental talents came with a significant downside for Boston. They had to sacrifice a lot, losing substantial squad depth in players like Malcolm Brogdon, Marcus Smart and Grant Williams. While this move seems like a no-brainer for the star power it brings, it could become problematic if they encounter injuries.

With so much emphasis on the starters, many have overlooked the struggles of the Celtics' bench players. Early on this season, Payton Pritchard, Sam Hauser, and Luke Kornet have all underperformed. While it hasn't drastically impacted the team's overall success, it could pose a problem if the Celtics' starters suffer injuries, as demonstrated in last night's loss against the Pacers.

Loss vs Pacers

In a quarter-final matchup of the inaugural in-season tournament, the Celtics faced adversity playing without their newly acquired star, Porzingis. With their center rotation limited and forced to rely on 37-year-old Horford as a backup, the Celtics were caught off guard by Haliburton and the Pacers, leading to their elimination from the competition.

This outcome has been seen as evidence that the Celtics still need to make further adjustments to contend for a championship. One NBA insider has predicted their activity in one final trade for the season.


Celtics Trade Market

While speaking on a recent episode of 'Run it Back,' NBA insider Shams Charania revealed his belief in the Celtics looking to improve their rotation depth. Citing numerous first-round picks as potential bargaining power, Shams expects them to make dramatic improvements with players who can contribute down the stretch of a tight game.

"I expect the Celtics to be active in the trade market as we get closer to February, to try to see if they can beef up their bench rotation."@ShamsCharania's biggest concern for the Celtics is late game execution, what kind of player are they missing? 🤔

📺: pic.twitter.com/QX5YTgYevq— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) December 5, 2023

Boston currently sits within the second tax apron. This means that with their current roster, there's a limited number of players they can afford to trade. However, with the main portion of their roster set and the likelihood of a deep playoff run, many players will be willing to move to the team, and they still have plenty of available options.

Credits
YardBarker