The Celtics remain one of the most interesting teams to observe before the NBA trade deadline on Thursday, March 25. And though there hasn't been a flurry of activity between team front offices yet, there sure has been a flurry of activity in the rumor mill.
One player who has been thrown around in Celtics trade chatter more than perhaps anyone else is Kings' veteran Harrison Barnes, averaging 16.7 points, 6.2 rebounds and 3.5 assists in his second full season with the Kings. A member of the 2015 NBA champion Warriors, Barnes is still under 30 but has nearly a decade of experience under his belt and would greatly help to bolster wing depth and leadership for a Celtics team on which he'd be a very nice fit. It makes sense that the Celtics would be all in, and the deal could be made easier given that Boston can fit his $22.2 million salary into the Gordon Hayward trade exception.
So what's the hold up? Don't forget that every trade is at least a two-sided affair, and while it makes a lot of sense for the Celtics, the same may not be the case for the Kings, according to what NBA insider Sam Amick told us on Monday:
For all the ink and airtime that has been spent discussing how Barnes would fit so well in Boston, or how other contenders might bring the 28-year-old forward their way, those sorts of scenarios obviously can’t unfold unless Sacramento is willing to send him out. So now, courtesy of a source with knowledge of the Kings’ plan, I present the other side of the Barnes situation: As it turns out, the Kings’ level of motivation on this front isn’t nearly as high as many may have believed.
Amick continued with a more concrete description of the scenario at play, saying that "a combination of late first-round draft picks and young players like the ones wearing green in Boston, it appears, likely wouldn't be enough to get it done." Barnes' production, his declining contract and the fact that the Kings could still foreseeably be a competitive team going forward are all factors in that train of thought.
However, NBA insider Shams Charania presented another possibility on Monday morning, saying that the Celtics are reportedly showing interest in John Collins of the Atlanta Hawks. This fit perhaps makes even more sense in basketball terms, seeing as Collins, who has spent around a third of his time on the court as the Hawks' five, could fill in more of a big man-type of role than Barnes. Atlanta's asking price for Barnes? They'd need "a high level first-round draft pick and/or a talented young player," says Charania.
Ironically, Charania also acknowledged that Barnes "appears to be a more logical and likely target for the Celtics," though the recent rumors obviously might complicate things.
Another big name that has been floated around with the Celtics is Jerami Grant, though Detroit might not be interested in dealing their new star quite so soon.
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More importantly, though, you can see the pattern with names like Barnes, Collins and Grant — a forward who can fulfill a do-it-all role and is an established presence that will help a playoff-bound team. Names like All-Star Nikola Vucevic and, to a lesser degree, LaMarcus Aldridge also stress the shooting big focal point. Whether or not the Celtics have the assets — or the desire to move the needed assets — to pull off a deal for one of the more exciting names will be interesting to observe.
Read WEEI's Tyler Devitte's analysis on the Celtics ahead of the deadline and what we might want to expect below.
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