The NBA trade deadline is coming up on Thursday at 3 p.m., and there are plenty of rumors and reports involving the Celtics with two days to go.
It seems unlikely that Brad Stevens will do anything major like trade Jayson Tatum or Jaylen Brown, or even Marcus Smart or Robert Williams. While there have been multiple reports that the Minnesota Timberwolves have expressed interest in Smart, CelticsBlog’s Keith Smith reports that the talks went nowhere and that the Celtics won’t be trading Smart unless it’s for a clear upgrade.
The Athletic’s Chris Kirschner reported that he heard the Atlanta Hawks had explored a trade centered around Smart going to Atlanta and Bogdan Bogdanovich going to Boston, but that it’s unclear if any serious progress was made. He says the Hawks have been interested in Smart “for quite some time,” though.
Smith also reports that the Celtics have shut down all suitors for Robert Williams and that Stevens would only consider moving the 24-year-old center as part of a bigger package for a third star to put alongside Tatum and Brown. Whether there’s any chance a blockbuster like that could come together before Thursday afternoon remains to be seen, but we wouldn't bet on it happening.
The Celtics could make a smaller move or two, though. While their strong play of late, combined with the Eastern Conference looking pretty wide-open, has shifted some expectations, the front office could still be motivated to get under the luxury tax, which it could do by shedding just $800,000 in salary.
They have reportedly received interest in several veterans that could help them do that. The name that has popped up the most in rumors all season is Dennis Schroder, and that continues to be the case this week.
There have been multiple reports that the Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks have explored a Schroder-for-Donte DiVincenzo swap. However, Smith reports that talks hit a wall when the Bucks asked for Grant Williams in addition to Schroder.
That makes sense. While DiVincenzo can certainly bounce back from what’s been a tough, injury-plagued season, Williams is having a better year and has been the most reliable three-point shooter on a Celtics team that needs more, not fewer three-point shooters. The Bucks would need to either include more to get Williams or settle for less in return. The Celtics could potentially include Romeo Langford, Aaron Nesmith or a draft pick instead of Williams.
The Athletic’s Jared Weiss reports that the Chicago Bulls and Cleveland Cavaliers have also shown interest in Schroder. He adds that a Cavs package could include two of Kevin Pangos, Ed Davis and Dylan Windler, with the Celtics still saving enough money to get under the tax in that case.
Those are all end-of-the-rotation, borderline roster players, though. Pangos and Davis are 29 and 32, respectively. So that kind of deal would really be nothing more than a salary dump. At least someone like DiVincenzo still has the potential to be a useful part of the rotation.
Bleacher Report’s Jake Fischer reported last week the C’s and Bulls discussed the framework of a Schroder deal that would land the Celtics Troy Brown Jr. and a second-round pick. Brown would seemingly be a more attractive option than the Cavs players, as he’s 22 years old and did average 10.4 points and 5.6 rebounds per game two years ago with Washington.
The other Celtics veteran drawing interest is Josh Richardson, who has become both a better fit for the C’s and a more attractive trade chip as he’s improved his three-point shooting this season (40% from beyond the arc).
Like Smart, Richardson has been linked to the Timberwolves, with the Celtics reportedly eyeing Malik Beasley -- whose shot has gone the other way, dropping from 39.9% on threes last year to 35.2% this season -- in return. However, Smith reports that the Celtics have asked for more than just Beasley and been rebuffed, while Weiss reports that Minnesota wouldn’t want just Richardson alone. So, things would seem to be at a stalemate there.
Smith reports that the Los Angeles Lakers also recently called about Richardson, but that talks “went nowhere” when the Celtics expressed little interest in getting Talen Horton-Tucker in return. The 21-year-old Horton-Tucker has struggled mightily as a shooter, seeing his field-goal and three-point percentages drop each of the last two seasons to career lows of 40.6% from the field and 25% from three this season.
So, still lots of questions for Stevens and company to answer. Add or subtract? Win now or stay focused on the future? Big move or small move? The next couple days should be interesting.